Web safety scheme to be unveiled

A high street chain will today unveil a new scheme to make it safer for children to use computers.

PC World’s announcement follows concerns about youngsters coming across violent and pornographic material on the internet.

The chain’s MD Keith Jones and television presenter Lorraine Kelly will attend today’s launch at PC World’s flagship London store.

“It’s a new service that will make a significant contribution to the safety of children using PCs,” a spokesman said.

“It’s backed up by some very interesting research that points to a major domestic dilemma for parents.”

PC World would not reveal any further details about the initiative but said it involved a “significant time commitment and service investment”.

Computing Which? magazine last year found evidence of porn and cyber-bullying on teenagers’ internet chatrooms.

The consumer magazine had earlier warned that parental software controls were not always effective at protecting children who surf the Net.