A SWEEPING block of all porn sites in the UK will get a start date “soon”, the Government has confirmed.
The so-called “porn ban” will see all adult websites blocked by default – with users required to verify their age as 18 or older to unlock them.
The scheme is part of the Digital Economy Act 2017, and is designed to prevent children from accessing extreme porn online.
It was originally expected to come into force back in April 2018, but was pushed back to December that same year.
The Government then pushed the launch back again, with the expectation that it would come into force in early April – before Easter.
Now the Government has confirmed that it will set a new launch date “shortly”.
Speaking to The Sun, a DCMS spokesperson said: “This is a world-leading step forward to protect our children from adult content which is currently far too easy to access online.
“The government, and the BBFC as the regulator, have taken the time to get this right and we will announce a commencement date shortly.”
The Sun understands that the commencement date is likely to be later than the reported April 1 kick-off.
Last year, Margot James, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, said that “we can expect it to be in force by Easter of next year”.
“It has taken longer than I would have liked, but I’d balance that with a confidence that we’ve got it right.”
Easter falls on April 21, so it’s possible that the official launch date will still take place before then.
However, it’s likely that porn websites won’t be immediately blocked.
The BBFC, which is regulating the process, said that there will be “an implementation period before the law comes into force”.
“This will give the industry time to comply with the legislation,” the regulator added.
The controversial porn block will restrict access to adult websites, including free porn sites like PornHub and YouPorn – which attract nearly 2billion visits a month between them worldwide.
They’ll join a number of other sites in using the AgeID system, which requires users to verify their age via an official form of ID such as a driver’s license or passport.
From April, when the new system is expected to launch, randy internet lurkers will be shown a non-pornographic “landing page”, according to AgeID spokesman James Clark.
“When a user first visits a site protected by AgeID, a landing page will appear with a prompt for the user to verify their age before they can access the site,” he told The Sun.
“Each website will create their own non-pornographic landing page for this purpose.”
When someone first clicks on a site, they’ll be asked to register with AgeID and verify their age using a Mobile SMS, credit card, passport, or driving licence.
Users will then be able to use their AgeID username or password to access all porn sites that use AgeID – though some may use different age verification systems.
Clark said: “It is a one-time verification. Once a user has age verified once, on ANY site protected by AgeID, they will then simply pass-through or login to any other site using AgeID without needing to re-verify.”
As well as registering with AgeID, Brits will also be able to access porn sites using a voucher you can buy from high street shops.
Thousands of shops will offer the special ID cards, which users can link to an app known as Portes.
Through Portes, they can then login to sites without having to hand over their email address.
Clark said: “The PortesCard will be available to purchase from any of the UK’s 29,000 PayPoint outlets as a voucher.
“It will also be available from selected high street retailers, which we can share more details on soon.
A unique validation code on the purchased card must be activated via the Portes app within 24 hours, otherwise it’ll expire, he added.
Verified users will then automatically be granted access to all sites using AgeID.
Each PortesCard will cost £4.99 for use on a single device, or £8.99 for use across multiple devices.
Sites face fines of up to £250,000 or a blanket block by UK internet service providers if they do not comply with the rules.
Regulators will be also able to block porn websites if they fail to show that they are denying access to under-18s.
However, there are some reservations from experts.
Dr Victoria Nash of the Oxford Internet Institute says “it may make it harder for children to stumble across pornography, especially in the younger age range, but it will do nothing to stop determined teenagers”.
Experts have also raised concerns that people’s privacy will be threatened by the new system.
Dr Joss Wright, also from the Oxford Internet Institute, says: “There’s privacy issues – you’re requiring people to effectively announce the fact they are looking at this material to the credit card authorities.
“And there’s serious security issues from requiring people to enter their credit card details into untrusted sites.”
MOST READ IN TECH
Brits are watching more sex videos online as the UK’s April porn block deadline approaches.
For our full guide on the new porn block rules, click here.
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