The results of a survey commissioned by Adaptive Mobile and highlighted in this article for The Daily Telegraph written by Matt Warman confirm the general availability of inappropriate content via public WiFi.
Because of the open, un-moderated nature of most Public connections Image Analyzer recommends that content management be made available.
The Image Analyzer technology can be based upon a wireless router and provide ‘real time’ analysis of images and videos as they are requested by the users device to ensure that accessibility to inappropriate material is managed effectively.
Adult material is accessible via more than half of all free, public WiFi networks in the UK, researchers have found.
An investigation by security firm AdaptiveMobile found that one in three UK cafes and restaurants had no content protection in place on their free WiFi networks, while a further 20 per cent failed to restrict access to adult dating sites that routinely have explicit pictures.
The results come despite David Cameron claiming that a new Government-backed code of conduct would promote “good, clean WiFi”. The Prime Minister had announced that the code of conduct would lead to pornography being blocked in public spaces such as cafes and railway stations where children are likely to be present.
The Government hoped the move would give parents confidence that their children cannot access illicit websites on smart phones or mobile computers.
The survey also found that drug- and violence-related websites, including ILoveCocaine.com, were accessible in 80 per cent of sites surveyed.
Mr Cameron’s earlier intervention came after a long-running campaign from children’s charities to ensure a blanket ban on unacceptable sites on public WiFi networks.
The Children’s Charities Coalition on Internet Safety wrote to BT, the country’s biggest internet provider, in March demanding urgent action.
The coalition of charities, which includes the NSPCC and The Children’s Society, had subsequently welcomed Mr Cameron’s intervention.
John Carr, the organisation’s secretary, said: “We welcome any deal which is long overdue. Public access to the internet is a modern reality and we have to fund a way of dealing with this growing problem.”
Charities believe that more children may be seeking to access illicit sites in public places as parents are offered more sophisticated tools to restrict certain web content at home.
In recent times, WiFi has spread rapidly in public places and is now available in many cafes, restaurants, shops and even on public transport.
Speaking on the local election campaign trail, the Prime Minister said that the “clean” WiFi plans could help reinvigorate local high streets.
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