UK masturbaters could find things getting a lot harder in April this year, as porn sites start to require credit card details or a government issued license to access.
The new plan will see the BBFC given the power to direct internet service providers (ISPs) across the country to block access to sites that don’t adhere to the government’s new rules on age verification, in addition to sites that offer ‘extreme pornography’ regardless of whether or not they have done what’s needed in regards to age verification.
It’s a continuation of the UK government’s ongoing war on porn, which saw acts like spanking, facesitting and female ejaculation banned in 2014.
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Worry not, though. Porn site users will be served a warning page before access that will require them to log-in to show they’re of legal age. To access this, they’ll need to prove they are 18, which means a credit card, driver’s license, or a special card purchased from the shops.
If you’re uneasy about tying your drivers license or credit cards permanently to the idea that you enjoy watching porn, you can get your jerkin’-it license — sadly not called a license to thrill — at one of 80,000 shops nationwide, so you’ll only have to face the shame of your local shopkeeper knowing what you get upto, instead of the government.
The Regulatory Policy Committee signed off on the plan, estimating it’ll cost the BBFC around £4.45m to implement, with no word on how much it’ll cost individual porn outfits to get in line.
In a world where installing VPN’s is easier than ever, it’s hard to imagine that under-18’s that can install and operate Epic’s launcher to play Fortnite couldn’t also dig up a VPN, allowing them to circumvent any blocks. Privacy advocates have warned about this block is about
Still, looks like the government will be cracking on with plans to stop people cracking off, come this April.
Do you think the ban is government overreach? Are you nervous about having to give the government ID to watch porn? Let us know on @TrustedReviews
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
