Platform for Internet Content Selection

The W3C Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS) specification allows web managers to set a certification rating for the content of their sites. This is very similar to the ratings system that exists for films shown
in cinemas.

A filter configured to use the PICS ratings system will read the classification contained within the data and displays the page only if it meets the user-defined specifications.

Use each checklist to ensure that your web pages comply with these guidelines

Checklist and summary: Core guidance

Checklist

* Web managers should register their website with at least the ICRA PICS service
* Metatags covering your whole site should be placed in the head element of the default page, eg, index.htm or default.htm
* Check that all web pages meet the defined rating. Additional metatags can be placed in the home page of directories to rate pages within that directory, and where necessary can be applied to individual web pages.

Summary

The ICRA system allows the author of a page or site, through the use of a specific metatag, to identify content

of the website or document in each of the following categories:

* Nudity and Sexual material
* Violence
* Language
* Other topics (ie. tobacco or gambling advertising)
* Chat

The rating system uses a neutral binary system. A particular element within each category, such as, ‘mild expletives’ in the language section is either present or absent from the website.

Implementation

There are a number of varieties of PICS ratings systems on the Internet but the most commonly used is the ICRA system managed by the Internet Content Rating Association. Microsoft Internet Explorer and a growing number of filtering products support this.

Important - A rating can be chosen to cover the entire site, which can be added to the site’s homepage. If desired, each individual page can be separately certified. The usual practice is to certify only the site as a whole.

It would be expected that the majority of UK public sector web information sites would have a none of the above rating for each of the categories in the ICRA system.
There are two basic steps to using this system. First, the content manager will obtain a rating label (a metatag) for the site and will then add that to the source data of the default page in the domain. This is usually called index.htm and may be a frameset. Second, the user’s web browser or filter can be configured to
read that PICS certification.

Once turned on, the PICS rating and filtering system can be a very strong tool in restricting the websites that are accessible. If a page has a higher rating than that set by the owner of the browser, the user is requested to insert a password. Only the correct password will allow the page to be downloaded and displayed.