This week Linda Gilroy, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, supported a bill proposed by Margaret Moran MP, which will see online retailers selling alcohol or pornography to
under-age children face a hefty fine or even imprisonment if they fail to implement procedures that ensure their costumers are of a legal age.
Ms Moran read her Ten Minute Rule Bill to the House of Commons in response to an increasing number of cases that have exposed the ease with which children under 18 can buy
alcohol, watch pornographic films or gamble online.
She gave the Commons food for thought:
“The evidence that children are obtaining age restricted goods and services online is becoming compelling. “As an example Last Summer “The People” news paper worked with a
14 year old boy called Zach. He got a pre-paid card –– at a local store. He paid cash and walked out the door with it.
“These card retailers say that their cards can only be sold to people over the age of 18, but Zach had no trouble getting his, there was no check and since there is no law that
says it is illegal to sell these cards to persons under the age of 18, one is bound to wonder how careful many retailers will be about this. But I’m certain this card is marketed as one that can be
used by persons of ‘any age’
“Using this card Zach was able to order XXX porn videos from Amazon. He ordered some knives from Tesco and when they were delivered to his home he signed for them himself.
Oddbins delivered some Vodka to his house and apparently William Hill let him place a £10 bet on a football match. Some other children in Glasgow were also able to get alcohol delivered to their
door, to join online Bingo sites and get rated horror movies sent to them.”
This is the first time a politician in Europe has called for online age and identity verification to be put on the statute books and Moran's proposals aim to ensure anyone
selling age-restricted goods and services over the internet will need to take steps to verify if customers are old enough.
The Ten Minute Rule Bill would outlaw this practice and compel retailers to take positive steps to ensure compliance. Following the support of MPs Sally Keeble, Kali Mountford,
Martin Salter, Judy Mallaber, Barbara Keeley, Linda Waltho, Linda Gilroy, Ian Stewart and Fiona McTaggart the Bill will have a second reading on the 16th February.
Moran said: "My Bill aims to ensure online retailers take their responsibilities more seriously. Children can now get hold of some very disturbing items, things they would
never be able to buy if they walked into a shop. It has to stop.”
Linda Gilroy said: "It is clear that currently there are inadequate checks put in place by a large number of online retailers and if they are going to continue to drag their
heels over this issue then it is up to Parliament to ensure our children are better protected."
She added “underage and low cost sales are already a huge problem in Plymouth and I am pleased to give this Bill my strong backing".
John Carr is a director of Scottish company NetIDme – which launched the world's first online ID card – and one of the world's leading experts on internet child safety. He
estimates that if Moran's proposed Bill did come into force, thousands of online retailers would need to change their practices. He said: "In the past it was a lot easier for retailers to verify
the age of customers as the person was usually stood in front of them. If there was any doubt about the person’s age then they could simply ask for identification, and if there was still any doubt
just decline to sell the goods or services.
"However, the growth of the internet and e-commerce has meant that you can now buy the same goods and services online.
"Very few online retailers have procedures or software in place to prevent the sale of age-restricted goods to children. This clearly shows that self-regulation is not working
and therefore Margaret Moran's proposed Bill is much needed."
23 January 2008
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