LONDON—The United Kingdom’s government announced on December 1 that it will conduct a review of the online pornography industry and its perceived intersections with illegal activities.
His Majesty’s Government, led by Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is embarking on the review as a part of an ongoing overhaul of internet trust and safety regulations since the controversial Online Safety Act received royal assent and became law despite broad civil society opposition.
Michelle Donelan, technology secretary of state, appointed Baroness Gabby Bertin, a peer in the House of Lords, to serve as a reviewer of “illegal pornography, abuse and exploitation.” A press release from Donelan’s office indicates that the review will scrutinize the otherwise legal porn industry’s supposed damages on “individuals and society.” The review seems to be overly broad.
“We’re already making the U.K. the safest place to be online with our world-leading Online Safety Act and are building on that with an unrelenting focus on safety and education by launching the Pornography Review,” Donelan said in a statement. Donelan was a strong proponent of the Online Safety Act and its measures to limit “legal but harmful” forms of speech on the web.
“I am delighted to have been asked to lead this review,” Baroness Bertin said. “The damaging impact that extreme pornography is having on society cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.”
“Extreme pornography” is not yet defined clearly. There is a significant difference between legal porn—including porn that is viewed as “extreme” but still legal and consensual—and child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate imagery (also referred to as “revenge porn”).
“The past two decades have seen a dramatic change in the way we consume media and interact with content online,” said Bertin. “Pornography regulation now needs to reflect this change.”
“The ease with which people can access harmful and illegal pornography is having a devastating impact on many areas of our lives, but it is particularly damaging and degrading to women and girls. A key aspect of the review will be assessing the links between pornography, exploitation, and a culture of violence towards women and girls.” This is a similar line of rhetoric used by a French government commission on equality between men and women, calling for the complete criminalization of all pornography. France also adopted legislation to excessively restrict porn.
“I am determined that this review will ensure laws and regulations governing a dramatically changed pornography industry are once again fit for purpose,” said Baroness Bertin. Notes to news media indicate the pornography review will cover artificial intelligence’s role in porn, the public awareness of regulations impacting the United Kingdom’s online pornography industry, and whether there is a link between legal pornography, illegal content, and human trafficking.
