ISPs urged to accept "moral duty" over child crime

MPs call on internet industry to provide IP details free of charge

Web data is vital for investigating child crime

Political pressure is mounting on ISPs to accept "a moral duty" to provide IP addresses free of charge to assist in the investigation of crimes against children.

More than 125 MPs have signed a motion in the House of Commons which "calls on the industry to take speedy action to ensure that the information necessary to identify individuals who use the internet to prey on children is provided to the Child Exploitation Online Protection [CEOP] centre free of charge".

The motion, put down by Warrington South Labour MP Helern Southworth, congratulated the CEOP for its work in safeguarding children subject to abuse, and welcomed the support given to its work by "socially responsible new technology companies".

"[We] note with regret that some ISPs are charging CEOP for provision of IP addresses needed to investigate crimes against children," it said.