“We are committed to the UK becoming a world-leader in the development of online safety technology and to ensure companies of all sizes have access to, and adopt, innovative solutions to improve the safety of their users. Morgan states that “the government’s commitment to protecting children online is unwavering,” and she suggests that some form of age-gating porn access is still in the cards. Critics pointed to potential privacy issues with the proposal, as well as the outsized power it could have given porn conglomerate MindGeek, which was set to provide its age verification system. It was shelved indefinitely in July, following multiple delayed deadlines. The porn ban was already widely considered dead. Instead, it will focus on protecting children through “wider online harms proposals.”
Nicky Morgan, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media, and sport, says the government “will not be commencing” Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 - which would have required internet users to prove they were over 18 before viewing pornographic sites. The United Kingdom has finally scrapped a plan to require age verification for accessing porn online, following years of tortuous debate and setbacks.
