The UK government has ditched plans to age-check visitors to pornographic websites and apps.
The policy, part of 2017’s Digital Economy Act (DEA), was designed to protect minors from accessing adult content.
Before getting their jollies, users would have to clear a third-party verification system, or buy a “porn pass” from a local retailer. Sites that neglected to check UK visitors’ age could face a nationwide ban.
But what an administration of old fogies failed to recognize are the various workarounds for a generation of tech-savvy kids: All it takes it a virtual private network (VPN) to disguise your location.
And if that fails, there are plenty of porn-hosting platforms not covered by the law, including Reddit and Twitter.
Critics, meanwhile, warned of privacy issues, suggesting websites could ask people to upload scans of their passport or driving license and potentially create an online database of porn users—tracking their habits and interests, and generally invading their privacy.
“We are glad the government has stepped back from creating a privacy disaster that would lead to blackmail scams and individuals being outed for [their] sexual preferences,” Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said in a statement.
“However, it is still unclear what the government does intend to do,” he continued. “So we will remain vigilant to ensure that new proposals are not just as bad, or worse.”
Indeed, Nicky Morgan—the UK’s fifth culture secretary since the porn ban was first introduced—already hinted at a new plan.
“The government has concluded that this objective of coherence will be best achieved through our wider online harms proposals,” she said on Wednesday. “This course of action will give the regulator discretion on the most effective means for companies to meet their duty of care.”
The original block was delayed three times while members of Parliament tried to settle on an appropriate system. So don’t hold your breath for a new scheme any time soon.
“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 said. “This includes age verification tools and we expect them to continue to play a key role in protecting children online.”
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