Plans for age checks to stop under-18s viewing porn sites are expected to be delayed for a second time
- The age verification plans were the first of their kind anywhere in the world
- But the government is to announce today that the date will be pushed back
- Checks were set to come into force on July 15, after it was delayed in April 2018
- Campaigners say the process could enable tracking of porn watchers’ identities
Plans to introduce age checks for online pornography websites have been delayed for a second time.
The changes, the first of their kind anywhere in the world were due to come into force on July 15, forcing porn sites to carry out ‘robust’ age verification checks.
But today Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright is expected to announce that the date is being pushed back – having been delayed already from April last year.
It is unclear exactly why it is being delayed again, but sources say the issue is ‘bureaucratic’ and not ‘technical.’
Campaigners have argued that the age check process could enable widespread tracking of porn watchers’ identities and browsing habits, creating the potential for blackmail and online surveillance.
Under the plans, websites that fail to implement the rules face having payment services withdrawn or being blocked for UK internet users.
The Government will reportedly delay the introduction of the scheme today
The government has previously said that users will be able to verify their age in a number of ways, including using traditional forms of ID such as a credit card or passport, or by buying an over-the-counter card from shops where verification would take place face-to-face.
Announcing the measures in April, Digital Minister Margot James said: ‘Adult content is currently far too easy for children to access online.
‘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.’
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which classifies movies in the UK, is due to be the age verification regulator.
Sky New says it had seen a copy of a letter to regulator the BBFC from a lobby group representing online pornographers, warning that without a delay there would be ‘less protection for public data’.
Campaigners have raised concerns over the tools, however, warning that they could have consequences for user privacy.
After the April announcement, Jim Killock, of the Open Rights Group, said on Twitter: ‘£ageverification dangers are obvious, from outing people to ruining careers and even suicides.
‘What porn you watch can be very sensitive information. It’s striking that MPs don’t seem concerned, it’s not like public knowledge about watching porn has never impacted an MPs career.’
Planned age checks on viewers of internet pornography have been delayed again
The Government said alongside requirements for age-verification providers to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), it had created a voluntary certification scheme, the Age-verification Certificate (AVC), which will assess the data security standards of the providers.
A recent YouGov poll suggests that around 76 per cent of the British public is not aware of the age-verification checks that are soon to come into force.
Critics have suggested that the measures may be easy to bypass — both for computer-savvy young people, as well as those looking to avoid registering to view pornography online due to privacy concerns.
One method to bypass the ID checks would be to use a virtual private network, or VPN, which would allow users to appear to be in a different country and therefore beyond the reach of the UK-based registration policy.
Searches for VPNs tripled on Google’s search engine immediately after the UK government announced the start date for the new porn-blocking measures, it has been reported.