MPs warn of web 'dark side'

Films posted on YouTube and other video-sharing websites should have age certificates, according to a new report by MPs.

As well as age certificates, MPs have called for a TV-style 'watershed' for films clips containing pornographic or violent content.

The Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee warned of the "dark side" of the internet and protested over "shocking" delays in taking down images of child abuse once they had been spotted.

"We are concerned that user-generated video content on sites such as YouTube does not carry any age classification, nor is there a watershed before which it cannot be shown," the report said.

MPs directed their anger at website operators who did not routinely screen clips, posted by the public, for offensive material.

They said that the problem of sifting through vast amounts of material for offensive material have been overcome by developments in technology.

The committee also called for the introduction of a 'one-click' facility that enabled surfers to report clips that contains images of abuse directly to the police.

Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, welcomed the report, stating that "we need urgently to find a consensus about the standards of the future, standards to help navigate this vast and rapidly evolving world if we are to protect young people".

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