All X-rated websites will require age verification from UK users from 15 July, the government has announced.
Plans for the so-called ‘porn block’ have been postponed numerous times: it was due to start in April 2018, then at the end of 2018 and most recently on 1 April this year.
Now, a spokesperson from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has confirmed it will be rolled out nationwide from 15 July.
As stipulated in the 2017 Digital Economy Act, the so-called ‘porn block’ is being introduced in a bid to stop under-18s seeing inappropriate material.
From 15 July websites such as PornHub and RedTube will only be unlocked after individual users have been through a process of verification to prove they are old enough to view them.
The changes have been criticised by campaigners, with some arguing that these compulsory checks require adults to give up sensitive personal information in return for access to pornography.
The government has left it to porn companies to ensure they comply with the compulsory checks. That means the type of age-verification software will depend on which sites you visit.
For example, MindGeek – which owns Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube – is developing software called AgeID. AgeID is a one-time sign in account which provides access to an independent age verification platform.
On this non-pornographic page users will have to input document details such as those on their passport or driving licence. AgeID then receives a pass or fail from the third party and will redirect back to the porn site if the user passes.
Users will also be able to verify their age through AgeID using a physical ID card, known as a ‘Portes’ ID cards, which will rprovide users with a 16-digit verification code that lasts for 24 hours.
The cards will reportedly cost £4.99 for use on a single device, or £8.99 for use across multiple devices. Using this method, a customer does not need to register an email address, and can simply access the site using the Portes app.
If porn websites fail to comply with the changes then they risk being blocked from UK mobile network operators. Enforcement is the responsibility of the British Board of Film Classification – the body responsible for setting age restrictions on films.
Despite the extensive planning, a YouGov survey in March found most Britons have no idea about the block with more than three quarters of respondents saying they were unaware of the new checks.