UK’s age verification porn plans delayed until end of 2018

1
Ben
Updated March 12, 2018
Published March 12, 2018
We may earn a commission via links on our site.
Why?

The UK government has been forced to admit that its controversial plans to enforce a mandated age-gate system on any website that shows pornographic content to users in the UK has been delayed.

The admission didn’t, however, come as an up-front announcement – instead, the government tried to bury it in news about mobile data speeds and broadband, which suggests that things aren’t progressing as well as it hoped they would.

In short, the regulations will force any site that hosts pornographic material to verify the age of visitors via one of its approved schemes, such as AgeID, developed by Pornhub-owner MindGeek. However, vagaries about how the rules will be applied, concerns about data security and privacy (a ‘porn database of the UK’ is a pretty tempting target for hackers) and a general lack of communication ahead of its enforcement date next month have led to the setback.

“Our priority is to make the internet safer for children and we believe this is best achieved by taking time to get the implementation of the policy right. We will therefore allow time for the BBFC as regulator to undertake a public consultation on its draft guidance which will be launched later this month. For the public and the industry to prepare for and comply with age verification, the Government will also ensure a period of up to three months after the BBFC guidance has been cleared by Parliament before the law comes into force. It is anticipated age verification will be enforceable by the end of the year,” the DCMS said.

So, unless it’s further delayed, or regulators finally realize that it won’t stop kids watching porn, it looks like it’s a reprieve until towards the end of the year, rather than a victory for common sense.

Myles Jackman, the Open Rights Group’s legal director told SEXTECHGUIDE: “This is a chance for the government to rethink the absence of safeguards for privacy and security, but it is frightening to consider that this policy was two weeks away from launch before it was pulled. Matt Hancock needs to introduce powers to safeguard privacy immediately before this scheme causes real damage.”

Quite.

Topics mentioned in this article LawsLegalregulations
Article by
Ben Woods is a journalist, editor, and media adviser who not only brought SEXTECHGUIDE to life but keeps it running smoothly on a day-to-day basis.Before embarking on this exciting journey, Ben’s work reached millions of people each month through reputable publications such as WIRED, TrustedReviews, The Inquirer, V3, CNET, ZDNet, and The Next Web, among many more.Ben dives deep into the realms of tech, sex, and the future on SEXTECHGUIDE, inviting readers to explore the intriguing intersection of these domains.
Get in touch
On the same topic…
  • bluesky adult content guide

    Bluesky adult content: Every feature that keeps your feed exactly how you want it

    Ben/
    November 13, 2024
  • Ethical dilemmas of ai in sextech

    Ethical dilemmas of AI in sextech: Balancing technological advances and consent

    Stu N/
    October 1, 2024
  • VAGINAL HEALTH

    Vaginal health tech: Overcoming gynaecological stigma & empowering reproductive autonomy

    Oli Lipski/
    April 15, 2024
By the same author…
  • bluesky adult content guide

    Bluesky adult content: Every feature that keeps your feed exactly how you want it

    Ben/
    November 13, 2024
  • sextechguide youtube ban

    SEXTECHGUIDE vs. YouTube: Unpacking the double standards in adult content moderation

    Ben/
    October 1, 2024
  • Meta Quest 3 porn guide.

    Meta Quest 3 porn guide: The AR passthrough experience will blow you away

    Ben/
    June 9, 2024

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *