The government’s controversial crackdown has a new start date
After several false starts and heavy criticism, the government has confirmed that ID checks for online pornography will be in full effect from July 15 2019 onwards. From this date, commercial providers of online porn must implement “robust” age checks, or risk sanctions. Websites that fail to comply with the new rules could be blocked, or have their payment services withdrawn.
If you want to watch porn, the government’s “age verification solutions” involve using standard ID documentation, such as passports or credit cards. Alternatively, you could go to your local off-license to buy a porn pass.
In the announcement published today, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport hail the new policy as “the first of its kind in the world”, with the aim of enforcing “the same protections that exist offline”.
Minister for Digital Margot James expressed her support for tighter regulation. “Adult content is currently far too easy for children to access online,” she said in a statement. “The introduction of mandatory age verification is a world first, and we’ve taken the time to balance privacy concerns with the need to protect children from inappropriate content. We want the UK to be the safest place in the world to be online, and these new laws will help us achieve this.”
Campaigners have voiced their concern over how the government’s heavy-approach will impact people’s right to privacy. Speaking on BBC Newsnight yesterday, Obscenity Lawyer Myles Jackman argued that “the unintended consequences of this are going to have a devastating effect on free speech on the internet.”
The government claims to have addressed privacy concerns by ensuring age verification providers will meet GDPR requirements. In addition, the British Board of Film Classification have created an age verification certificate, which will ensure providers have their data security standards checked, before they’re approved for public use. It remains to be seen how effective this is. The announcement itself was a major fail, as the news was released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport via an email that leaked the contact details of almost 300 recipients.
“The government needs to compel companies to enforce privacy standards,” Jim Killock, Executive Director for the Open Rights Group, said in a statement. “The idea that they are ‘optional’ is dangerous and irresponsible. Data leaks could be disastrous, and they will be the government’s own fault. The government needs to shape up and legislate for privacy before their own policy results in people being outed, careers destroyed or suicides being provoked.”
You can read creators’ views on how the porn ban will impact the adult entertainment industry on Dazed.
