Child porn filter launched

2004-09-21 14:23

Oslo - Norway's largest internet service provider and police said on Tuesday they have developed a new filter to prevent internet users from accessing child pornography websites.

The state-owned telecommunications company Telenor shall be in charge of the technical solutions while the Norwegian National Criminal Investigation Service is to provide updated lists of websites that distribute such material, Telenor said.

The filter was due to be operational in October. It will be placed centrally with Telenor and customers will not have to install any programme on their computers and would apply to dial-up and broadband services.

If a Telenor customer tries to access a website containing child pornography, a blocking site will automatically pop up, containing information about the filter, as well as a link to the police, Telenor said.

Justice Minister Odd Einar Dorum last year urged police to cooperate with industry players to combat child pornography.

"The filter will stop a considerable number of potential users, users that we must assume exist in Telenor's customer base, which consists of nearly one million internet customers," Arne Huuse, head of the National Criminal Investigation Service said. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA