Sky's adult broadband filters now on by default for new customers

Over the past year and a half, Sky has slowly rolled out adult broadband filters in a bid to help families "protect" younger members of the household from inappropriate content. A number of existing customers were the first to be asked whether they'd like to enable the company's "Broadband Shield," but as promised, those protections are rolling out to all new subscribers. As of today, Broadband Shield will be "automatically switched on the moment a new customer activates their Sky Broadband."

Sky says that the first time a user tries to access a filtered website, the account holder will be notified and asked whether they'd like to amend the Broadband Shield settings or disable them altogether. That means only sites suitable for 13-year-olds or younger will be accessible until 9pm, then 18 thereafter. The company boasts that two thirds of existing subscribers have continued to use the software after they were asked whether they wanted it switched on.

Due to its high level of engagement, Sky has decided that its new Now TV Combo packages will also be afforded the same protections upon activation. The Combo packages, which launched last week, let Now TV customers sign up to TV, phone and broadband packages without a contract.

For the "millions" of existing Sky Broadband customers who haven't yet been contacted about Broadband Shield, Sky says it will ask them to make a decision "over the coming months." If it doesn't receive a reply, the adult filters will automatically be applied.