More than half of Christians in the United Kingdom would be prepared to pay more to use the Internet if it meant greater restrictions on accessing porn.
That’s according to a new ComRes poll, commissioned by Premier Christian Media Trust.
The poll found that 57 percent would accept higher charges to fund a plan in which users have to actively “opt-in” to access online pornographic content.
Premier Christian Media Trust launched the Safety Net Campaign earlier this year in partnership with Safermedia in a bid to protect children from Internet pornography.
The campaign calls on the British government to introduce legislation to ensure that Internet Service Providers (ISP) filter pornography at the source. It has gathered more than 75,000 signatures.
The ISPs claim that an opt-in model would add substantial cost to Internet services, though a recent cross-party inquiry report into the subject of online child safety said these claims were unfounded.
“The silent majority has been awakened by the need to protect children and vulnerable people from Internet pornography,” said John Morris, managing director of The Harvest Partnership Ltd, a financial services organization.
“That is why, even when people are concerned about their jobs and with all the pressures on the family budget during the current period of austerity, they are prepared to prioritize this matter so highly.”
Rev. Peter Kerridge, a Baptist minister and chief executive of Premier Christian Media, organizers of the Safety Net Campaign, said, “I’m a father myself, and this issue really concerns me.
“Children need to be protected, and to do this ISPs need to block pornography at network level – allowing both new and existing users to make an active choice whether to opt-in to adult content, whilst allowing children the freedom to use the internet without stumbling across hard-core pornography.”
This article originally appeared in TheBaptistTimes of Great Britain.
For more on the Safety Net Campaign, visit SafetyNet.org.uk.
