Sky will soon be adopting the digital role of the disapproving mother who just had a browse of your Google search history.
Though the exact date is yet to be confirmed, Sky will turn on its 'Broadband Shield' for all new customers as a matter of course in 2016, preventing them from viewing any 'adult' content until 9pm.
The default setting will only allow material suitable for children aged 13 or younger will be visible before 9pm, after which the content block is lifted to allow access to racier offerings.
Earlier this year, the broadband provider announced it would be blocking adult content for its users by default - unless its customers opted out during the set-up process.
Sky notified customers of the new Broadband Shield in January, automatically turning it 'on' (not like that) if customers didn't chose to opt out. They'll now be removing this option of choice at installation, meaning that customers will have to amend the settings by logging into their MySky account if they want them lifted. If you joined Sky Broadband after 2013, it appears that Sky will be emailing you to say it'll automatically be turning on the Shield regardless of your previous choices.
"The simplest thing we can do to help them is to automatically turn on filtering and then allow customers to easily choose and change their settings," said Sky's director of communications products Lyssa McGowan. "This means they can have complete peace of mind that they will protected online from the word go."
Earlier this month Ofcom reported that the vast majority of users weren't using the content filters, despite David Cameron insisting that all internet service providers make them an "unavoidable choice". Between 30 to 40 per cent of Sky customers currently use the filter - a number set to rise when the new settings roll out. That's compared to 14 per cent of TalkTalk customers, 12 per cent for Virgin Media and 6 per cent for BT.
What are your thoughts on internet content filters? Let us know below.
[Via: Sky]
