This is the most unimaginably stupid idea that the wastrels of government have ever misconceived. Somebody should explain to these overpaid underemployed imbeciles that neither perverts nor ordinary folk have their email addresses tatooed on their foreheads or embedded in a subcutaneous microchip, and that there is an infinite pool of addresses available at the drop of a keypress.
Or is this the first step in an altogether more sinister campaign of deprivation of freedom and enforcement of National ID?

Antonio, Estepona, Spain

UK Government + Internet = Clueless

Duncan, Bristol, UK

An entirely pointless and unenforceable idea. It's clear that those who advise the governement have no real idea as to how computers and the internet work.

As has already been mentioned, it takes seconds to register a new web based email address, for FREE. You can make as many as you like, giving no genuine personal details to the sites that provide them.

A better method would be to make them use only Static IP addresses, and give those details to these sites, allowing them to ban/monitor them more effectivly.

Even so, use of proxy servers would completely negate this idea, unless someone keeps track of all of them and these sites ban those as well.

But that would cost money.

Sab, Teignmouth, England

Another pointless unenforcable idea - that is unless you force EVERYBODY to register every email address.
-which is in fact the underlying agenda.
Peadophiles, terrorists, drug dealers are a fear excuse used by the government to frighten the the population into accepting ever more intrusion into their personal lives.
The best tactic to protect your children from peadophiles is to talk to your friends and neighbours, and family about the people you are leaving your children in the care of and about the people who live in your neighbourhood.
And remember your kid is much more likely to die from falling down the stairs then peadophile attack.

mark, leicester, UK

Convicted paedophiles should be baned from using or owning a computer, there should be a world wide data base of people excluded from the internet. Why not concider the requirement of having a licence to use a computer? They licence could form part of a long in, and without such, operation of a computer can not be started. People who allow others to use their computer risk being branded a paedophile in error, if misuse of their machine is allowed.

RayB , Newcastle, UK

Quote "This is something that will be particularly useful in combating the possible grooming of children on the internet" Unquote

Isn't it about time that Parents took on this responsibility? I am tired of Governments legislating for incompetent Parents.

Neillg, Harlow, UK

iI is clear that the only real punishment for such an evil,activity is to ban for life such people from using a pc for private use.
They should only be allowed to use a pc, for acceptable reasons, and only through public terminals.
At all times they must be monitored in the use of a pc,and report to police when they need to use one for any reason.

bill, Liverpool, uk

Yet again we see why this lot should not be allowed anywhere near computer systems, let alone put our details on them.
Let's just think of the governments successes in the field of Computers. There was the Child Support Agency, NHS Records, oh yes Child Benefit details going missing.
These are the SNAFU'S we have found out about.
I wouldn't trust this lot with a landline phone they'd probably bug themselves.

Howard, Basildon, England

Hilarious clueless Government gibber-gabber for the obvious reasons expressed by the other people who have commented, namely yeah a convicted criminal "registers" with his hotmail address and then uses his gmail one or a new one, or whatever, to continue his nefarious activities.

Chris, newcastle, uk

With email addresses being pretty much disposable as well as being free and easily available, how is this expected to be policed?

They can simply get a hotmail/Gmail/Yahoomail or any other webmail account and access it only from public terminals.

This is yet another example of a half-baked, technically unenforceable "good idea" from people who obviously have NO grasp of the technical aspects of the internet and web.

Andrew, st neots, Cambs