UK service provider, TalkTalk would introduce a new kind of parental controls designed to help its customers to have better control over the online contents they access.  The new system developed by the ISP would allow the adults to block unwanted sites such as adult sites, gambling and even social networking sites (P2P) that help illegal file sharing.

Without the need of any parent control software, the users would just choose a certificate ranking to filter the online contents, it was reported. For instance, a certificate like universal (U) or 14 would block sites with inappropriate materials for young people such as adult sites and bit torrent sites.

The Telegraph has reported Charles Dunstone, CEO of The Carphone Warehouse as saying:

“We are working on introducing parental controls within our network, so your household can decide whether you want to be a U, 14 or 18 certificate or unclassified. This is something that we are going to do anyway, as a service to our customers, but through doing it we can also help the content industry by blacklisting sites that have BitTorrent  files on them.”

In a recent move, the government hinted that it would take tough measures against illegal downloaders of copy righted materials like music through P2P sites. One of the proposals included disconnection of the broadband service of the alleged illegal file sharers.

It should be noted that, TalkTalk, the UK broadband providing company owned by the Carphone Warehouse was one of the ISPs to criticise the government’s extreme move, saying it is against ‘fundamental rights’ of an internet user. Subsequently, the chiefs of UK’s leading broadband providers including BT, TalkTalk and Orange had asked the government to reconsider the cut-off policy as it could punish the innocent customers who are not aware of their connections being shared by illegal file downloaders. 

While music recording companies have given their open support to the new internet file sharing crack down policy, artists are found to be divided in this issue.

Last week, BT’s consumer division boss, John Peter indicated that the illegal filesharing tracking methods under new laws would mean an additional expenditure of £1 million a day  for the UK ISPs. In an interview to the Mirror, he said that this would lead to an increase of £2 on the monthly bill of the customers.