Solicitors Olswang made the approach and said it would be a credit to reputable websites to say they abided by Commission guidelines.

Dan Tench, a partner with the law firm, told the IBC Defamation Conference said: "It seems a bit unfair for a pure internet site but a reputable one that it cannot say that it subscribes to any PCC or Ofcom code - none exists for it.

"It may be a development in future that the PCC extends its remit or Ofcom does - or perhaps websites will voluntarily take on codes of conduct which are equivalent to the journalists' one, in order to put themselves in a better position on these issues."

The ability to say that it subscribed to such a code would put a website in a better position to defend itself against applications to courts to disclose sources of information.

A spokesman for the Press Complaints Commission told Media lawyer that the issue of whether it would extend its remit to cover journalistic websites was being considered by PressBof, the Press Board of Finance, which funds the PCC and its work.

A year ago PressBof announced it was extending the Commission's remit to include audio-visual editorial material which newspapers and magazines placed on their websites. The extension covered websites run by publications which were already covered by the PCC Code.

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