Media and telecoms watchdog Ofcom is inviting businesses to comment on its
plan to label web content so that inappropriate material can be easily
filtered.
The plan, under consultation until August, could help HR departments prevent
staff from accessing such material by making it easier to identify and block.
HR departments are coming under increasing pressure to introduce stricter
policies on internet use, a trend highlighted by the recent resignation of
Michael Soden, chief executive of the Bank of Ireland, who was caught accessing
adult websites.
Last week, it emerged that the bank is investigating how his PC was included
in what was supposed to be a limited audit of internet usage within the
company’s IT department.
Hewlett-Packard, which carried out the original audit, has launched a
separate inquiry.
The investigations will focus on who initiated the original audit, who
extended it, and who leaked the results to the media.
The ongoing investigation is expected to be one of the immediate priorities
of Brian Goggin, the head of Bank of Ireland Asset Management who was promoted
to chief executive following Soden’s departure.
Ofcom has asked interested parties to comment, either by e-mail: [email protected], fax:
0207 891 3806, or post to: Sara Winter, Content and Standards, 5th Floor,
Ofcom, Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA.
