The idea of a computer network linking ten Bradford community centres, to be set up under the supervision of an organisation run by experts, is an excellent one for more than one reason.

Primarily, it will make it easier for the staff and users of these centres to communicate with each other and with other centres around the country. It will enable distance learning projects to be organised, and give some people their first taste of information technology.

The director of two of these centres, Nigel Delaney, has said that he thinks the initiative will be a great boost for the community. Among other things, it will help users with updating their CVs and will open up educational opportunities for young people.

However, the Bradford Local Integrated Community Centre (BLINC) has another important purpose besides helping local people to expand their horizons and improve their skills. It will also incorporate safeguards to prevent sites being hi-jacked for improper use.

It was disgraceful the other week that the defunct online community newspaper site of Odsal Community Centre should have been adapted by hackers and used to display pornography. It was further evidence that the internet is far from secure. It is only too easy for unscrupulous people who have the right technical knowledge to undermine the positive things it can do.

There is much that it good about the internet. It is a fund of information and has made communication much easier. However, more safeguards need to be built into it to protect users from mischief-makers. The BLINC project is a useful contribution to this safety net.