Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Eric and Esme Bricknell

WE SUPPORT THE CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT COMMITTEE IN THEIR CONCERN THAT THE INTERNET NEEDS TO BE A MUCH SAFER PLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND INDEED, FOR EVERY ONE OF US.

My wife and I write as mature citizens and active grandparents who have considerable family responsibilities—towards our children, grandchildren and the wider community. We support the Inquiry which we believe could lead to greater protection, safety and cohesiveness in the family setting.

We believe there are many parents, concerned about what their children can access on the internet, who would love to have some kind of filter to protect them, even from unintentional access to defiling material, but don’t have the know-how to install it. By providing such protection by default, the Government will protect these vulnerable households.

We write as having participated in the governorship of an independent school—Focus School, Bramley Campus—responsible for the safety and welfare of successive annual intakes of school children, entrusted to our care by their parents and guardians. These young people are our future—the developing potential who will give character and strength to our country in oncoming years.

We acknowledge the tremendous advantage that young people have in being able to access the internet to tap the stores of information. They can use this positively in their education to produce intelligent responses to questions in any of their subjects. Thus they develop intellectually and academically. We should however protect them during their years of study so that they keep their minds fresh and clear focusing on academic achievement and developing into responsible adults. Nothing will debilitate and detract more than hours of occupation with online programs which arouse lust and can lead to impure relationships.

We write as Christians, treasuring the message of the Holy Bible—the word of God—it provides light to our path and shows what’s right and what’s wrong. Two very simple, brief examples from scripture: in his letters to Timothy, a younger person, the apostle Paul says “Keep thyself pure” (1 Tim 5v23) and “But youthful lusts flee, and pursue righteousness...” (2 Tim 2v22). These injunctions would powerfully support the expressed concerns of the CM and S Committee.

And then I write as having some years of experience in Health and Safety at my workplace; you identify hazards, eliminate or reduce them and ensure that residual risk is managed for the health and safety and well-being of all concerned. The Government has a DUTY OF CARE, expressed initially in legislation, to eliminate as far as possible the hazards of moral and physical corruption, which are to be found on the internet.

So we are very concerned about the danger lurking only a few clicks away from every child—what is regarded as legitimate adult material is defiling and damaging, especially to the minds and morals of young people—and a very large percentage of our young have viewed such material before they have reached the age of 16!

It is most disturbing to see that while the Government has legislated to protect under-age persons from the sale of tobacco products, alcohol, drugs, knives etc, they are left to their own devices when exploring the internet—and less than half of parents have taken the trouble to install filters on their home IT equipment to protect their children!

WE FULLY SUPPORT THIS MOVE BY THE GOVT CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT COMMITTEE TO INTRODUCE POLICY CHANGES AND TO INVEST IN RESOURCES OF A TECHNICAL NATURE, AND POLICING, TO RESTRICT THE TOO EASY ACCESS TO ADULT MATERIAL.

WE SUPPORT DEFAULT BLOCKING OF ALL ADULT CONTENT AS THE STANDARD SETTING ON ALL INTERNET ENABLED DEVICES SOLD IN THE UK TO STOP CHILDREN SEEING WHAT IS NOT SUITABLE.

WE ASK FOR THE PROVISION OF BETTER AGE-VERIFICATION SOFTWARE

WE SUBMIT THAT WE AS MATURE AGED PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ACT TO PROTECT OUR YOUNGSTERS—DO NOT TAKE THE EASY OPTION OF ALLOWING “FREEDOM OF CHOICE”.

September 2013