TalkTalk’s advertising of the “UK’s safest broadband” has been restricted by the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) after complaints were received by the advertising watchdog.
BT and two members of the public complained to the ASA asking if the claim that TalkTalk were making that they had the “UK’s safest broadband” could be substantiated.
TalkTalk said that they were the only broadband provider in the UK that offered network level security filtering via the HomeSafe service. This meant that any computer or device connecting to the internet via that router would receive the protection that the service offered. TalkTalk said that although other broadband providers did offer security packages these had to be downloaded and there were some limits and restrictions on the number of devices that could use it.
The ASA upheld the complaints and said:
“We considered that customers could interpret safest as referring to a number of features, such as virus protection or protection from hacking, and that Home Safe only offered a basic range of security features. We did not consider that consumers would interpret “safest” as referring to blocking of inappropriate content, and restricting access to certain sites at certain times.”
TalkTalks HomeSafe service is a free service offered to TalkTalk Broadband customers and allows network level protection (this means before the content even reaches your router) where by inappropriate websites can be filtered out, helps to stop viruses before they reach you and alert you if you visit a suspected site, also time limits when the internet will work or when social networking or gaming sites will work which is useful for when children have homework to do.