1. TechSpot is dedicated to computer enthusiasts and power users. Ask a question and give support. Join the community here.
    Ask a Question
    See Recent Posts
    TechSpot is dedicated to computer enthusiasts and power users.
    Ask a question and give support.
    Join the community here, it only takes a minute.
    Dismiss Notice

UK's age verification system for online porn to be delayed indefinitely

midian182
By midian182 · 15 replies
Jun 20, 2019
Post New Reply

  1. According to a Sky News source, the UK's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Secretary, Jeremy Wright, will announce the delay later today in Parliament.

    The age verification law was introduced with the Digital Economy Act last year after first being proposed in 2015. It requires any website whose content is more than one-third pornographic to verify that visitors are 18 or over. The scheme had already been delayed twice but was set to come into force on July 15.

    Sky News writes that the latest delay is due to the DCMS failing to notify the European Commission of important details, as it is required to do. When reached for comment by the Guardian, a government official “did not deny” that the system had been put on permanent hold.

    The so-called porn ban would have been the first of its kind in the West, and any websites that refused to take part would have been blocked by the UK's ISPs.

    There were numerous problems with the porn block. Social media sites were exempt, which could have resulted in a sudden flood of porn onto the likes of Twitter, and the system could be easily bypassed with a VPN. But the main issues were those of privacy and security. Age verification methods include handing over banking details online, installing software, or even going into a store to prove your age. This opened up the danger of someone’s porn viewing habits being associated with their identity, which could then be exposed in a hack, leading to potential blackmail.

    Most UK residents weren’t even aware of the impending age-verification system, so an announcement of its delay will probably come as a surprise.

    Permalink to story.

    https://www.techspot.com/news/80590-uk-age-verification-system-online-porn-delayed-indefinitely.html

     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #1
  2. Bubbajim

    Bubbajim TechSpot Staff Posts: 680   +660

    Porn site owners should just implement a bot that would generate 2 porn-free pages for every 1 'adult' page, each with a 'noindex' tag so SEO isn't harmed. Any investigation would prove that their website was under 1/3rd pornographic content - job done.
     
    SalaSSin, Polycount, Bp968 and 5 others like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #2
  3. Peter Farkas

    Peter Farkas TS Evangelist Posts: 347   +164

    "a premature end" omg hahahahah
     
    Morris Minor, TsVkK, Hexic and 3 others like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #3
  4. stewi0001

    stewi0001 TS Evangelist Posts: 2,198   +1,625

    For some reason I still find this pineapple picture humorous
     
    SalaSSin, Lew Zealand, mcborge and 1 other person like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #4
  5. Uncle Al

    Uncle Al TS Evangelist Posts: 5,390   +3,779

    Yeah .... it would seem that a banana or long gored would be more appropriate!
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #5
  6. Knot Schure

    Knot Schure TS Addict Posts: 267   +116

    It would never have worked.

    And they know it. So now they've squandered x amount of gov money on its design / implementation, they can quietly put it to bed, knowing the party is now over.

    I never considered the porn that might be pushed to non-porn platforms, but yes, that seems like a legitamite concern.
     
    SalaSSin likes this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #6
  7. Knot Schure

    Knot Schure TS Addict Posts: 267   +116

    It was just an indication of what a sweet thing that lay behind it.
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #7
  8. McMurdeR

    McMurdeR TS Addict Posts: 144   +115

    Folks who call for this kind of thing fundamentally don't understand how the internet works. There would have been too many workarounds.
     
    JaredTheDragon and TempleOrion like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #8
  9. amghwk

    amghwk TS Guru Posts: 523   +320

    Trust me. It's NOT at all sweet.
     
    TempleOrion and stewi0001 like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #9
  10. Rock Dirty

    Rock Dirty TS Rookie Posts: 16   +8

    Damn man, don't give up ideas like that for free...
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #10
  11. fluffydestroyer

    fluffydestroyer TS Booster Posts: 81   +41

    porn hub are more useful than the government to be fair so its fair to help them in my opinion :)
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #11
  12. bluetooth fairy

    bluetooth fairy TS Booster Posts: 91   +63

    "It requires any website whose content is more than one-third pornographic to verify that visitors are 18 or over."

    I find 18 weird here when age of consent in most part of the world is much lower, usually 16.
    https://www.ageofconsent.net/world

    It's OK to have sex with your... significant other, and to record what you are doing, but it's not OK to watch what is considered a sex movie.
     
    TempleOrion and SalaSSin like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #12
  13. Capaill

    Capaill TS Evangelist Posts: 894   +497

    Ya, I agree, pineapples taste horrible.
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #13
  14. Hexic

    Hexic TS Evangelist Posts: 505   +334

    I see what you did there, ROB.

    I laughed, and then teared up a bit.
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #14
  15. Polycount

    Polycount TS Evangelist Posts: 1,762   +387

    Oh my lord. This idea is genius.
     
    Jun 20, 2019
    #15
  16. Zonther

    Zonther TS Rookie

    Why can't they just tell ISP to enable parental locks on their clients if they so wish to have them to do so? This might lead to ISP being able to charge people to go to pornographic websites. To make it fair, make another law to prevent ISP to charge their customers on what sites they wish to go on to. If the family is afraid that little Johnny or little Emma that might go to a porn site, then the ISP can charge that family to block traffic of that nature. This added service they can charge in my opinion. Better yet, the parents that are complaining about this kind of stuff should be looking over their kids, and not obsessing and ignoring their children that are probably watching pron anyways. These people create their own problems.
     
    Knot Schure and JaredTheDragon like this.
    Jun 20, 2019
    #16

Add your comment to this article

You need to be a member to leave a comment. Join thousands of tech enthusiasts and participate.
TechSpot Account You may also...