30 December 2008
In an effort to protect children from unsuitable material on the web, the government is examining proposals to bring in age ratings for websites.
According to the BBC, a system of cinema-style ratings could be introduced that would help parents ensure their children are using broadband safely.
Culture secretary Andy Burnham said websites need "clearer signposting" so that mums and dads can be confident the material their youngsters are accessing is appropriate for their age.
"The internet is becoming a more and more pervasive entity in all our lives and yet the content standards online are not as clear as we've all been used in traditional media," he stated.
Mr Burnham also sought to ease fears over web censorship by insisting the proposals are not designed to curb freedom of expression.
According to NetSmartz, parents can make broadband safer for their children by only allowing them to use child-friendly search engines and by using filtering or monitoring software on their computer.