How the BBC's iPlayer is making a mockery of the 9pm watershed by making explicit material available 24 hours a day

The BBC is under attack for allowing access to explicit material 24 hours a day on its new iPlayer internet service.

The programmes are subject to the post 9pm watershed ruling when they are shown on terrestrial television.

But children are able to bypass age restrictions on iPlayer by simply ticking a box to say they are over 16.

They can then watch programmes with sexually- explicit content, extreme swearing and other unsuitable material.

For example, the BBC3 programme Sex... With Mum and Dad, usually broadcast after the watershed but available on the iPlayer 24 hours a day, features a teenager asking his mother about sexual acts.

Another BBC3 show, Page Three Teens, offers repeated shots of topless models in sexually suggestive poses. A similar programme, Glamour Girls, is also on offer.

While the readily available explicit content on the internet is nothing new, many are horrified the BBC is not taking a tougher stand.

Critics fear that it is in danger of rendering the watershed extinct with the iPlayer service. Others have called for media regulator Ofcom to be given more powers in overseeing the way online programming is aired.

Conservative MP Philip Davies, who sits on the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, said: "I think parents would be massively concerned if they realised how easy it was for their children to access such inappropriate material.

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"Having that kind of tick-box self- certification is clearly inadequate. They may as well have no control on at all."

John Beyer, director of the pressure group Mediawatch UK, said: "The BBC is promoting its iPlayer at every possible opportunity and they know that children and young people are accessing this kind of material."

A corporation spokesman said, however: "The BBC takes its responsibility to enable parents or guardians to protect younger viewers from unsuitable BBC content on its websites very seriously and provides a number of tools to do this.

"For example, BBC iPlayer clearly labels programmes which may be unsuitable for young audiences.

"A lock system allows parents or guardians to prevent younger viewers from watching guidance-rated programmes unless they have a password.

"Setting up these systems is optional but they can be easily activated at any time."