This porn has been banned in the UK
(Pornhub)
In 2014, the UK government banned the depiction of certain sex acts in pornography, including “physical or verbal abuse” and “role-play as non-adults.”
Bizarrely, female ejaculation was also included as one of a set of sex acts banned from UK pornography, alongside other acts deemed offensive, obscene or potentially “life endangering.”
Technically, websites are not banned from hosting the material, they are just banned from showing it to anyone in the UK.
The same rules apply to porn that’s not found online, e.g. on ye olde DVDs from, say, a licensed sex shop.
The BBFC, or the British Board of Film Classification, insist that porn makers adhere to the rules by refusing to feature restricted actions in porn.
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Here’s what’s restricted in UK pornography
(20th Television)
- Spanking
- Caning
- Aggressive whipping
- Penetration by any object “associated with violence”
- Physical or verbal abuse (regardless of whether it’s consensual)
- Urolagnia (aka water sports)
- Role-playing as non-adults
- Physical restraint
- Humiliation
- Female ejaculation
- Strangulation
- Face-sitting
- Fisting
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Criminal and illegal acts banned from pornography
(Pornhub)
Criminal and illegal acts banned by other legislation are also banned from pornography.
It is an offence to possess pornographic images that depict acts which threaten a person’s life. It is also an offence to possess pornographic images of acts which result in or are likely to result in serious injury.
It is also an offence to possess images depicting bestiality or necrophilia.
Revenge porn – the public sharing of sexually explicit media without the consent of the pictured person – is also an illegal offence.
Taking, making, sharing and possessing indecent images and pseudo-photographs (an image made by computer-graphics or otherwise, which appears to be a photograph) of people under 18 is also illegal (via GOV.UK).
This can include photos, videos, tracings of a photo and data that can be converted into a photo.
‘Indecent’ is not defined in the legislation, but it can include penetrative and non-penetrative sexual activity.
‘Making’ can include opening, accessing, downloading and storing online content, while ‘sharing’ includes forwarding an email, offering on a file sharing platform, uploading to a site that other people can access and possessing with a view to distribute.
Age checks for porn websites
(Pornhub)
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Meanwhile, in other porn news, the UK Government is delaying the introduction of age checks for pornographic websites.
The proposals, detailed in last year’s Conservative manifesto, suggest that “all sites containing pornographic material” must all check that users are 18 years old or older.
The Government urged internet providers, charities and academics to contribute to a major consultation on the suggested new rules, while the likes of PornHub already pledged to abide by the new policy.
Myles Jackman, a lawyer who has campaigned against the proposals with the Open Rights Group, said the delay was an admission that ministers had failed to understand the implications of the age capture for online porn usage.
The delay was officially to give the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) regulator time to launch a public consultation on its draft guidance.
