David Cameron will announce an effort to control the availability of online pornography to children by drawing up plans which will automatically take parents through installing a filter system when they first sign up with an internet service provider (ISP), it has been reported.
Parents will in future be asked whether they have children when they sign up to a new service, which will then lead to a questionnaire and process whereby parents can select how strictly they want content filtered, according to the Daily Mail.
ISPs will be told to put the plans in place or face legislation forcing them to do so.
Cameron will reportedly announce the plans later in the month
Cameron's plans fall short of previous demands for ISPs to introduce an 'opt-out' system when new accounts are set up, which would require customers to ask for automatic filters to be turned off.
The Mail reports that Cameron was advised a better course of action would be to urge parents to take personal responsibility - at the same time educating them on filtering technology.
Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mother's Union, had previously drawn up regulations on the request of government ministers, but their plans go much further.
The plans are part of an effort to reduce the availability of inappropriate material to children
A Number 10 source told the Mail: "We know lots of parents are concerned about the material their children are accessing on the internet and we want to do more to help. We've consulted on a variety of options on how we can make it safer for children online.
"Internet service providers have made great progress to date in implementing 'active choice' controls, as recommended by Reg Bailey, where all users are asked if they want to switch on parental controls.
"After intervention from the Prime Minister, the Government is urging providers to go one step further and make sure their systems actively encourage parents, whether they are new or existing customers, to switch on parental controls."