Lib Dem Julian Huppert hopes to debate ban on fisting and watersports porn
A ban on the production of certain types of porn in the UK will be the subject of a debate in the House of Commons, if a Lib Dem MP who opposes it gets his way.
Brought in by the Audiovisual Media Services regulation 2014 last week, the ban states that any online paid-for porn such as Video on Demand (VoD) must adhere to the same rules set out for those producing DVDs.
Julian Huppert is pushing for the ban to be debated in Parliament, saying that the government should not prevent any adult from watching legal and consensual sex.
He argues that rather than moral objection, the choice to ban the depiction of acts should be based on “consent” and “genuine risk”.
Mr Huppert said: “It means that all video-on-demand services that originate from the UK can’t show various acts, such as spanking.”
“To me the case for banning things should be driven by issues around consent, and around genuine risk, not about whether we happen to like things or not.”
A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said: “The legislation provides the same level of protection to the online world that exists on the high street in relation to the sale of physical DVDs.
“In a converging media world these provisions must be coherent and the BBFC classification regime is a tried and tested system of what content is regarded as harmful for minors.”
Mr Huppert has tabled an Early Day Motion, which would ensure the topic was debated in the House of Commons, and calls for the regulations to be annulled.
A face-sit protest has been planned for Friday at Westminster against the new rules.
