UK bans online porn depicting strangulation, incest from early November
· World · BBC News, The Independent
From 6 November, it will be illegal to possess or publish online pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, incestuous sexual activity, or adults role-playing as children under 16. The new offences stem from amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill that became law in April. A 2025 independent review commissioned by Rishi Sunak's government found choking content 'rife' on popular sites and said it had helped normalise the act among young people. Baroness Gabby Bertin, who led the review, said the law change would send an 'unequivocal signal' that extreme and violent content encouraging real-life harm is not acceptable. Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones warned porn can shape young people's views on healthy relationships, stating the material is not as harmless as many think. Non-fatal strangulation is already an offence if non-consensual, but its online depiction was previously not illegal.
Why it matters
The law directly affects anyone who accesses, shares, or stores online pornography in England and Wales, particularly young people whose views on relationships may be shaped by such content. Offenders face up to five years' imprisonment for publishing prohibited material and up to three years for possession of images depicting sexual activity with a person pretending to be under 16.
Read the original report — BBC News
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