An online petition is calling for the UK government to move away from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6 in favour of a more up to date web browser.

Microsoft’s browser has come under increasing pressure during recent weeks, following reports that a weak link in version 6 allowed hackers to infiltrate the Google email accounts of Chinese human rights activists. The company was forced to issue an emergency patch to help address the issue.

The online petition has been submitted to the Number 10 website by Dan Frydman of Inigo Media Ltd.

He said IE6 has some security flaws that leave users vulnerable, and so the UK government should follow the lead of Germany and France and encourage people to upgrade.

Frydman said: “When the UK government does this, most of Europe will follow. That will create some pressure on the US to do so too. Most creative and software development companies are forced by government department clients to build websites for IE6 when most of the industry has moved on.

“Companies insist that they need IE6 support because government departments use it and won’t be able to see their sites or services without it. Upgrading would be a massive task for government, but if the public is encouraged to lead the way and the government follows, that would create the momentum needed.”

According to a report by the BBC, the petition had around 70 signatures this morning. This had risen to almost 3,400 by Tuesday afternoon.