One in three TalkTalk customers choose to self-censor the internet

TalkTalk claims web filtering offer a hit with consumers

TalkTalk has revealed that a third of its customers are using parental controls to block websites that offer content featuring pornography, gambling, suicide and violent images.

The internet service provider (ISP) began offering its HomeSafe filter options to all new customers in March.

TalkTalk claims that the service has been met positively by new and existing customers.

"We think this shows that offering customers an ‘active choice' really works. And it seems they do too. We recently asked some of our new customers what they thought and 80 per cent felt that being offered an upfront choice was a good thing," said a TalkTalk spokesman.

"In fact, over 60 per cent said that they wouldn't have turned [parental controls] on had they not been asked to make a choice."

TalkTalk is the first ISP to ask all new customers whether they would like to filter certain content, though BT and Virgin media have announced similar plans.

Both companies are set to change their filtering procedures so that when new customers sign up they will not be able to begin accessing content until they decide whether to activate parental controls. V3 is waiting to hear from BT and Virgin to get clarification on whether this affects all content, or just adult material.

The service follows a parliamentary inquiry into online child protection. Prime minister David Cameron has since agreed to hold an independent consultation investigating whether all ISPs should be forced to block adult content.