BOLTON MP Tom Sackville said today he was "delighted" the industry is clamping down on obscene and pornographic material on the Internet.

The Home Office Minister has campaigned for many months for a tightening of controls.

From October 1, a hotline will be set up where the public and commercial organisations will be able to inform the authorities of unsuitable material on the world-wide web.

Then the major providers will act to remove material which breaks, or is likely to break, obscenity or other laws. The providers will then trace the source and cancel the images.

The Safety-Net scheme is backed by the Internet Providers' Association, the London Internet Exchange, the Home Office, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Metropolitan police.

Mr Sackville said pornography involving sex acts with children was a particular target for the new service and warned that further action may be in the pipeline.

The new crackdown will mean that Internet companies will be unable to plead ignorance of unsuitable or illegal material on their web.

Mr Sackville said: "We at the Home Office made it clear to the Internet providers some time ago that action was needed to deal with obscene material.

"Some of the material which is available, including pictures of sex acts involving children, is totally unnaceptable under the law.

"I am delighted that the industry is seeking to address this very serious problem. We will be watching carefully the effect of these measures and considering what action might be necessary in the future."

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