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Online retailers should be required to abide by existing laws when selling age restricted goods and services, peers were told today.
During the second reading of the Online Purchasing of Goods and Services (Age Verification) Bill, Baroness Massey of Darwen (Lab) argued that children are too often able to bypass online age checks.
Many online retailers are asked simply for the customer to tick a box to verify their age.
The Baroness argued that this self regulation was not working.
"We are simply in a new electronic age with more opportunities and hazards for children," she said.
"The law on age restricted goods is clear, what is missing mechanisms for ensuring that the law is being observed."
Massy, who introduced the Bill in the Lords, argued that there was no business case for retailers to lead the way in developing more fool-proof systems.
She called for a definitive code of conduct.
However, the government argued that the focus should be on the enforcement of existing laws, rather than the creation of extra regulation.
Baroness Vadera argued that creating separate laws for online and offline transactions would lead to confusion.
The business minister also said the government was taking steps to encourage retailers to be more responsible.
The government is working with companies to remove knives from retail website, she stated.
"Primary importance is given to protection of children," Vadera added.
She said the Bill reinforced the government's determination to protect children using the internet.
Conservative shadow business minister Lord De Mauley said his party agreed "absolutely" that there are certain good and services that should not be bought by children.
"We should expect the law to apply to online vendors as it does to supermarkets," he said.
However he questioned why the Bill allowed the secretary of state to ban items for online sales to children, when it is legal for them to buy them in shops.
"Why should the law be stricter online than offline?" he asked.
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