Sites that fail to comply with the new rules will face punishments
As part of new UK porn rules and laws, sites will be ordered to introduce photo ID and facial age estimation technology to guarantee their users are 18 or over.
Ofcom has published guidance that will force pornographic sites to be “highly effective” at preventing children from seeing adult content by early 2025.
Measures such as self-declaration of age and general disclaimers will no longer be good enough.
But sites could scan credit cards or use mobile operator age checks, where networks automatically block children from accessing porn on their mobile data.
Sites that fail to comply with the new rules will face punishments, including hefty fines.
The new rules follow the passing of the Online Safety Bill, which set out new regulations for social media and internet video content.
It also comes after years of campaigning by cross-party MPs to crack down on violence against women and girls that are inspired by explicit videos.
In January 2023, a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England found that the average age at which children first see pornography is 13.
By age nine, 10% had seen porn, 27% had seen it by age 11 and half of children who had seen pornography had seen it by age 13.
In a survey of those between the ages of 16 and 21, 79% of young adults admitted to deliberately seeking out pornography that featured violence, compulsion and degrading behaviour.
Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive, said:
“Pornography is too readily accessible to children online, and the new online safety laws are clear that must change.
“Our practical guidance sets out a range of methods for highly effective age checks.
“We’re clear that weaker methods – such as allowing users to self-declare their age – won’t meet this standard.”
Although the porn rules were welcomed by MPs, free speech campaigners said the move was a threat to privacy.
The Institute for Economic Affairs said it will “significantly increase the amount of sensitive data held by third parties”.
Giacomo Lev Mannheimer, a Research Fellow at the Bruno Leoni Institute, said:
“Improper regulation of adult content undermines the internet as a hub of unparalleled freedom and innovation.
“Policymakers must strike a balance by tackling illicit activities while safeguarding user privacy, free expression, and digital innovation.”
According to Ofcom, it is committed to protecting privacy rights and adults’ access to legal porn.
The body said all age assurance methods will be subject to the UK’s privacy laws, which are enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
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