O’Flynn calls for mobile legislation

NEW TECHNOLOGY to prohibit the spread of offensive and inappropriate material through mobile phones must be implemented as soon as possible, Oireachtas Communications Committee chairman Noel O’Flynn said last night.

However, following a meeting with mobile phone operators yesterday, Noel O'Flynn said he had been informed by Vodafone, O2 and Meteor there was not yet any available technology capable of monitoring and cutting out abusive material such as child pornography.

"To do nothing would be to say we have no interest in the problem. Certainly the whole area of camera phones can be abused and misused and we are anxious to stop that," he said.

Mr O'Flynn has also written to Communications Minister Dermot Ahern and Justice Minister Michael McDowell asking whether new legislation could be introduced to make the specific act of sending pornography by phone an offence.

Responding to the problem the Irish Cellular Industry Association (ICIA) an alliance of Ireland's three networks said it would introduce a new code of practice in May.

In addition the association is planning an advertising and education campaign aimed at parents, children and other customers.

Mr O'Flynn said one possibility being considered was a proposal to require a parent to provide registration details for every pay-as-you-go phone sold to children under the age of 18.

"A parent could register with the company if a child is under 18 so that a parent could ring the company and check the content going to that phone," he said.

However, ultimately Mr O'Flynn said phone companies must accept they shared responsibility for protecting children.

"I firmly believe the country's mobile phone operators have a major responsibility to safeguard our children. They must spend money on research and development in order to introduce new technology to protect children and help alleviate parents fears," he said.

At yesterday's meeting the phone companies said the possibility of using filtering technologies was being investigated. However, the firms believed the technology was not yet advanced enough to be introduced as a protective measure for phones.

Parents concerned that a child has received an inappropriate phone message can complain to Regtel on 1850 741741.