Why the UK Needs to Seriously Rethink its Pornography Laws

The UK needs to urgently reassess its pornography laws and ensure the safety and well-being of our children remain at the forefront of political agendas. In recent years, the failure of the Conservative government to effectively safeguard children from pornography by scrapping their age verification plans in 2019 has left a crucial gap in our nation's child protection efforts. Since the Tories seem to be doing nothing about it, we must look to also discuss how a future Labour government should prioritise measures to limit minors' access to explicit content online.

There seems to be a contradictory message coming from the Tories. With the ongoing debate on the rights of transgender people, we see the reoccurring slogan of ‘protect the children’. It seems perplexing how the Tories could possibly claim to ‘protect the children’ while simultaneously abandoning their pledge to protect minors from explicit adult content online. In 2019, the Conservatives tried to pass a law which would require all pornographic sites to have some form of age verification in the UK. After fears over potential privacy breaches and potential loopholes, the policy was abandoned and they’ve made no further effort to limit the ease of access to pornography by minors.

Today, pornographic sites are accessible with a simple google search. The average age of first exposure to pornographic content online has been decreasing over the years, with some studies suggesting children as young as 8 to 11 years old encountering pornography. This presents worry where research has indicated early exposure to explicit content can have lasting consequences on the viewer. Psychological distress, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety remain among the list of potential effects. Additionally a wider societal impact can be seen in cases where early exposure occurs, causing distorted views of relationships and a warped perception of consent. Some studies estimate that around 8% of internet users are addicted to pornography and this seems to be rising trend beginning at an increasingly earlier point. The most severe manifestations of such effects are shown in violent crime. Of which include the infamous crimes of American serial killer Ted Bundy who was reported to have a pornography addiction.

With it looking increasingly likely that Labour will win the next general election, it should be a priority for a Labour government to deliver the protection that the Tories have failed to do. Unlike the Tory plan to combat pornography access, an alternative scheme must not compromise privacy or data security. Therefore, Labour must not be as short sighted and attack the problem from its roots. Instead implementing revised and age-appropriate sex education programs in schools can offer a better solution to help children understand the potential consequences of consuming explicit content and how to navigate the online world safely. Providing secure education to teach children about any sex-related questions that they may have would reduce the reliance on pornographic sites as a source for answers.

Additionally, the government should promote the use of parental control software and tools that allow parents to monitor and restrict their children's online activities, acting as a more grass roots scheme. There has also been some talk among the Labour Party on whether it can make the UK a global leader in terms of the use of artificial intelligence. This could pose another potential solution through exploring more secure and privacy-conscious age verification methods, such as using biometric data or leveraging advanced artificial intelligence algorithms that can verify age without storing personal information.

The approach to pornography laws should ensure focus on the safeguarding of children from the threats of explicit online content, necessitating immediate and effective action. As the prospect of a Labour government looms, it is imperative to prioritise comprehensive sex education, parental control tools and privacy-conscious age verification methods to curtail the access of minors to explicit material. Our children’s well-being should always be a paramount concern and proactive measures are the need of the hour to address this neglected issue.