Filtering system necessary measure but too ‘restrictive’

THE internet content filtering provided to schools is sometimes too restrictive, a survey has found.

As part of its report for the Department of Education, Norcontel asked schools their views of the filtering system provided as part of the schools broadband programme to ensure children do not access inappropriate material, accidentally or otherwise.

They all acknowledged the essential need to provide such a feature in school, but all the second level schools surveyed felt it was too restrictive, and half of all schools felt the same filter should not be applied to six-year-olds and 16-year-olds. Some schools said: “No access to reasonable sites”, “Too inflexible” and “Blocks some religious sites”.