Porn site age verification to be in force by spring next year after delays, minister says

'“It has taken longer than I would have liked, but I’d balance that with a confidence that we’ve got it right,' says minister for digital after year-long delay in block intended to protect under-18s

Major porn websites have been keen to work with government on age verification (Shutterstock)

The government’s porn ban, which will require commercial sites to verify the age of their users before they can view sexual content will be “in force” by Easter 2019 according to the government minister responsible.

Margot James MP, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) minister for digital and creative industries, said she was expecting to give major pornography sites three months' notice by early next year.

The requirement was introduced in the Digital Economy Act 2017 in a bid to prevent children and teenagers from accessing content that can have harmful mental health consequences.

Age verification was meant to be in place by April 2018, but had to be delayed while ministers tried to develop a workable system.

“We can expect it be in force by Easter of next year,” Ms James told MPs on the Commons Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday.

“It has taken longer than I would have liked, but I’d balance that with a confidence that we’ve got it right.”

She added that there could also be further legislation for social media sites, which sets a time limit for removing harmful content in order to protect young people.

Under the proposals websites must ensure that pornographic material is “not normally accessible to those under 18” and those who don’t achieve compliance face being blocked by UK internet providers – as already occurs with websites showing pirated material.

Details of exactly how ages will be verified were not made clear at the committee, though previous reports have suggested viewers will be able to register with one of several online services.

One service, AgeID, is operated by the company MindGeek, which runs several of the largest porn websites such as PornHub and YouPorn.

Compliance will be monitored by the British Board of Film Classification, which awards film age certificates like PG and 18.

However critics have said the scheme will be largely unworkable as the restrictions can be avoided by using a Virtual Private Network or other software to access sites via an unrestricted country.

It could also see more people use smaller websites that are less secure and less concerned about achieving compliance.

“I’m confident the majority of large commercial pornography websites and platforms being compliant with the law,” Ms James told MPs.

“They’ve engaged well with the BBFC and the Department and want to be on the right side of the law.

“I’m wary of being 100 per cent confident, there are always smaller, more underground platforms and sites which will seek ways around the law – that’s usually the case.”

Ms James said the scheme was less workable for enforcing routinely flouted social media age limits, as there isn’t yet a system for verifying younger ages where children may not have ID or bank cards that act as a proxy for their age.

However, the government is considering other means to protect children on popular sites, similarly to Germany which has enacted a 24-hour time limit for social media companies to take down illegal content or face fines.

When asked by Labour MP Liz Kendall whether the government was considering such a move, Ms James responded: “Yes, I mean that would be one of the aspects of what may require new law as opposed to the many non-legislative measures that we’re still developing.”

The minister warned there are some grey areas of what is deemed illegal content and what is not, which it is expected to be addressed in a white paper this winter.

Ms James sat alongside Jackie Doyle-Price MP, Department fo Health and Social Care minister for mental health, discussing how government and social media companies could tackle a range of issues affecting children online, particularly cyber-bullying.

“I think the social media companies could do a lot more, I think they’re being very slow in this area actually, and I have no doubt that it is the stick of regulation that has focused the mind to do more,” Ms Doyle-Price said.