Most Brits back an age verification system to stop children accessing pornography online, a new poll has found.
78% support new measures to prevent under 18’s accessing graphic websites, People Polling for GB News found.
They were asked whether websites should have an age verification system in place - and only 5% of the public disagreed. 17% said they “didn’t know” or “preferred not to say”.
The poll also found broad agreement across party lines with 84% of Tory voters agreeing that porn websites should have an age verification system, and 80% of Labour voters agreeing.
Politics expert Professor Matt Goodwin, said: “What this shows is there is widespread public support for the efforts underway in parliament to implement an age verification system so that under-18s cannot access pornography online.
“Nearly eight in ten British adults support such change and so to me, at least, this looks like a clear vote winner for the government.
“If I were advising Rishi Sunak I would be telling him that introducing these age verification checks is a no-brainer.”
It follows a worrying report that found almost half of young people believe girls “expect or enjoy” aggressive sex such as airway restriction.
According to the Children’s Commissioner for England, children are being exposed to pornography as young as nine.
By age nine, 10% had seen pornography, 27% had seen it by age 11 and half of children who had seen pornography had seen it by the age of 13.
Youngsters reported being frequently exposed to violent porn online, with 79% of 18 to 21 year olds saying they had seen content involving sexual violence before turning 18.
And more than a third of young adults actively seek out pornography depicting sexual violence, such as physical aggression, coercion and degradation.
It comes amid growing concerns about the influence of misogynists such as Andrew Tate and the role that violent porn played in the abuse of women by former police officers David Carrick and Wayne Couzens.
The government’s Online Safety Bill will force websites to put in place measures, such as age verification, to stop under-18s accessing inappropriate material.
Ministers have also brought in mandatory online safety education in schools as part of the curriculum.