Plans to introduce age checks for online pornography websites have been delayed amid a row over how they will be enforced.
The new verification process was due to start from next month, but, amid fears over their effectiveness and privacy issues, they will now not come into force until the end of the year.
The age checks form part of the Digital Economy Act, which was designed to force porn publishers to implement their own checks.
Planned age checks on viewers of internet pornography have been delayed until later this year
The age verification process is reportedly going to require either a passport or a mobile number – although it has previously been suggested it could use credit card or bank details.
That has led to fears details could be hacked, with privacy group Open Rights Group saying: ‘The BBFC will struggle to ensure that Age Verification is safe, secure and anonymous. They are powerless to ensure people’s privacy.’
Concerns were also raised last month when it emerged MindGeek, which owns the PornHub and YouPorn websites, was developing the programme to check the ages of those accessing the site.
Critics have likened the company’s involvement to ‘entrusting the cigarette industry with stopping underage smoking’
The new system is expected to be regulated by the British Board of Film Censorship (BBFC).
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport announced the delays to the introduction of the system over the weekend.
A spokesman said: ‘We are making age verification compulsory for commercial porn sites, as part of our work to make the internet a safer place for children. But we need to take the time to make sure we get it right if it’s going to work, and it will come into effect later this year.’
The government wants to stop children viewing porn, but questions have been raised over how effective the planned checks will be
The Digital Economy Act 2017 is legislation that covers everything from how the BBC is regulated to re-transmission fees and a legally-mandated broadband speed minimum.
A large part of the act is dedicated to pornography and mandates age-checks in order to prevent under-18s accessing pornographic material.
The act allows an ‘age-verification regulator’, now revealed to be BBFC, to require companies to provide it with ‘any information which it requires for the purpose of exercising, or deciding whether to exercise’ any of its functions, and to impose financial penalties.
The regulator will be allowed to force internet service providers to block companies’ websites that fail to comply with the legislation.