I topped up a while ago and got a text message telling me I needed a credit card to access "mature" websites. I thought 'OK that's fair' Then when I moved to another area and I didn't have access to any broadband, I found out that this site filter blocks tons of websites which have no pornography. It also charges money to the card which I don't really have. So I'm a bit stuffed really, does anyone know if Visa Debit cards work or am I completely out of luck?

A fair amount of mobile providers do this. It doesn't just block pornographic material, but other material that isn't deemed suitable for children. Forums are blocked quite often.

No Visa Debit cards don't work. The whole reason for requiring a credit card is children can't get them.

They can. They either borrow Mummy and Daddy's or they get prepaid.

Just about anything can be defeated - the difference is that if they have a filter, they can claim and be seen that they are doing something about it. It's not their problem if people can get around it. It shuts up the "won't someone think of the children" brigade.

I did use one of my parents' cards to get around it. But then again I have fairly liberal parents.

(and, actually, not all prepaid cards work - many of them block retailers deemed to be for 18+ customers only, and no doubt the mobile networks have it set up that way. Some, but not all cards, will allow age-restricted retailers provided you prove your age)

Go to an O2 store and they can remove the restriction for you.

Having had an O2 account for many years I was annoyed to find that I couldn't access the Wetherspoons website one day. It's the retro-active action of putting this "protection" onto old accounts that made me fume, they should ask you when you open a new account, not suddenly put it on after 8 or 9 years of being able to browse what you want.

I found that on my Nokia 5800, if you used Opera Mini then you could access what you wanted (because of the way Opera Mini works).

Hi - I found that (this is for the kids) if you go on to google and click on classic view - you can reset preferences and hey porno you are back in the driving seat

But then that is an issue for Mummy and Daddy, not for O2...