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Online Pornography Age Checks To Be Mandatory in UK From 15 July (theguardian.com)

The UK's age verification system for online pornography will become mandatory on 15 July, the government has confirmed. From a report: From that date, commercial providers of online pornography will be required to carry out "robust" age verification checks on users, in order to keep children from accessing adult content. Websites that refuse to implement the checks face being blocked by UK internet service providers or having their access to payment services withdrawn.The digital minister, Margot James, welcomed the introduction of the rules, saying: "Adult content is currently far too easy for children to access online."

She added, "The introduction of mandatory age verification is a world first, and we've taken the time to balance privacy concerns with the need to protect children from inappropriate content. We want the UK to be the safest place in the world to be online, and these new laws will help us achieve this." Will Gardner, the chief executive of Childnet, said: "We hope that the introduction of this age verification will help in protecting children, making it harder for young people to accidentally come across online pornography, as well as bringing in the same protections that we use offline to protect children from age-restricted goods or services."

6 of 295 comments (clear)

  1. Age Captcha by SuperKendall · · Score: 5, Funny

    Click on all the squares that contain:

    80's pop stars
    Original Star-Wars trilogy special effect
    Pogs
    Kurt Cobain Girlfriend

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Age Captcha by Anil · · Score: 4, Funny

      That's like the age gate in the original Leisure Suit Larry game.

  2. Re:Out of touch by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's a common occurence for kids to say that it was an accident.

  3. The Brexit-ers were right. by Comboman · · Score: 4, Funny

    I guess the UK doesn't need the EU. They seem perfectly capable of creating their own internet-destroying regulations.

    --
    Support Right To Repair Legislation.
  4. Re:Credit card? by lgw · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just like the police look for people watching TV without paying their BBC tax, a new breed of detector trucks will soon roam the streets of England.

    *Knock knock knock*
    "Sir, we spotted you wanking without a wanker's license."
    "But, but ..."
    "Don't try to deny it sir, we saw you clearly on the infrared."

    --
    Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
  5. Re:Credit card? by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's important to put Big Brother back into the ecosystem. In the old days you had to pay someone's Big Brother to get you this material, then the internet cut out that particular middle man.

    Big Brother is back, and he's not just for booze and cigarettes!