Italy's communications ministry said it was making checks into pornography available on Hutchison Whampoa's 3 Italia mobile telephone network after a TV report said the X-rated images could be downloaded by children, according to a Reuters report.
The Reuters report said the ministry also invited the Italian judiciary to regulate the sector more closely, a move likely to raise concern in the fast growing, multi-million-euro industry.
"The ministry has decided to examine the services offered by the telephone company 3 Italia "&brkbar; with particular attention to the use of video content over mobile phones," the communications ministry said in a statement.
3 Italia, controlled by Hong Kong giant Hutchison Whampoa, said in a separate statement that it had suspended the adult content service as it awaited clarification about the charges made in the report shown on state TV.
It had previously denied the accusations broadcast on RAI 3's "Report" program that the pornography available on the 3 Italia network was not properly secure because the code needed to view it was easily accessible to children, the Reuters report said.
