Netcom profits from lack of Web porn law

The dearth of legislation on porn on the Web is good news for Netcom's latest anti-porn service.

Netcom UK introduced a hotline initiative to curb access to pornography on the Web as US and UK governments dropped attempts to legislate against indecent images.

The service is aimed at worried parents and seeks to ensure that children are safe from dangerous influences. It will advise them about the nature of the problem and software technology to prevent the viewing of unsuitable material.

The move follows a decision two weeks ago by three US circuit judges who ruled that Bill Clinton's support of an anti-indecency act earlier this year was illegal.

Netcom UK said it was committed to supporting the police and the Home Office 'in their endeavours to stamp out the illegal elements on the Net'.

But the company faces a legal quagmire because of the lack of international legislation on the Web. David Clarke, MD of Netcom UK, said one of the problems was that different UK police forces took different views about what was illegal. 'The police can only take action if the stuff emanates from the UK,' he said. 'We're trying to get them to tell us what's illegal.'

Clarke said Netcom will give advice to parents and guardians in two ways. 'Kids often know more than their parents,' he said. 'Parents feel helpless because they don't know what's going on.'

Clarke said that his company had looked at several protection packages, but he acknowledged that they did not provide a complete solution to the problem. 'None of them are perfect,' he said. 'But one has an 80 per cent fit with what they want.'

Netcom's software works by matching key words against different Web sites and Usenet.

Clarke said it was unlikely that the UK government would now implement legislation, following the collapse of the indency amendment to the US telecommunications bill.

'We don't think that sort of legislation will happen provided people like us take a responsible approach.'