From April of this year, government legislation will force people in the UK to prove their age on all pornographic websites.
Minister of state for digital and culture Matt Hancock revealed in a statement that websites who do not comply with the rules will receive a fine of up to £250,000, or possibly be blocked by service providers.
The compulsory age checks, introduced as part of the Digital Economy Act 2018 and policed by the British Board of Film Censorship, are part of a plan to safeguard minors from explicit material, but campaigners and experts believe the move will fundamentally change the internet as we know it.
Jerry Barnett, founder of campaign group Sex & Censorship, told Wired that, “This is a first in a democracy. Although this appears to be just about protecting children from porn, it isn't. It will block any site that doesn't comply with strict UK content rules.”
Websites may implement systems like Age ID, used by Pornhub and other MindGeek-owned titles, that ask users to create an account using a passport or mobile phone number. Critics of the practise believe that these sites will inevitable be targeted by Ashley Madison-style hacks.
Jim Killock Executive Director of the privacy group Open Rights Group told Metro, ‘The BBFC will struggle to ensure that Age Verification is safe, secure and anonymous. They are powerless to ensure people’s privacy. ‘The major publisher, MindGeek, looks like it will dominate the AV market. We are very worried about their product, AgeID, which could track people’s porn use. The way this product develops is completely out of BBFC’s hands.
‘Users will not be able to choose how to access websites. They’ll be at the mercy of porn companies. And the blame lies squarely with Theresa May’s government for pushing incomplete legislation.’
