UK Bans Online Pornography Depicting Strangulation: New Digital Safety Measures Explained

United Kingdom:

The UK government announced Tuesday that possessing or publishing pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation will become illegal in the country.

This decision follows an independent review which discovered that strangulation portrayals are widespread online, contributing to making such acts a "sexual norm," according to a government statement.

While non-fatal strangulation is already criminalized in the UK, currently there is no prohibition against its online depiction.

The government stated these new measures will enhance protection for women and girls from online abuse.

"Viewing and sharing this kind of material online is not only deeply distressing, it is vile and dangerous," said technology minister Liz Kendall.

"Those who post or promote such content are contributing to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society."

Under the new regulations, technology platforms will have a legal obligation to take "proactive steps" to prevent users from encountering such content, implementing methods such as moderation tools or stricter controls.

A separate amendment will extend the reporting timeframe for victims of intimate image abuse from six months to three years.

In July, the UK implemented its Online Safety Act aimed at protecting young people from content related to pornography, suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.

This legislation requires websites and applications hosting potentially harmful content to implement age verification through measures like facial recognition or credit card checks.

Non-compliant platforms face penalties of up to £18 million ($23 million) or 10 percent of their qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever amount is greater.