1.4 million children regularly access pornography every month. And while offline porn is regulated, what is uploaded to the internet includes vast amounts of violent, illegal content. That’s why we’re campaigning for better government regulation
The internet can be a wonderful resource for young people. A world of information, inspiration and ideas, quite literally at their fingertips. However, it is also fraught with danger. As Christians, we need to be mindful of just how easy it has become for young people to view explicit adult content online.
We are taught to avoid the temptation of images that pollute our hearts and corrupt our minds. Mark 14:38 says: “Watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” But if you are a teenager or a vulnerable adult, the temptations of unfettered access to sexual material online can be almost overwhelming.
A pervasive threat
Online pornography is pervasive and relentless – and now, because of smartphones, more accessible than ever. The average age that children first see pornography on their phones is just 13 years old.
Mainstream porn platforms host “vast, unknown quantities of illegal content”
An astonishing 1.4 million children regularly access pornography every month. The levels of abuse and sexual violence that we expose our children and young people to in this country are truly shocking.
The government is currently considering how best to review laws around pornography. Premier would like to see new regulations that make online platforms and websites more responsible for the content they host.
Safety for all
Our Safety Net campaign has already helped to protect kids from porn by successfully calling for age assurance measures to be included in the Online Safety Act. This ensures websites containing adult material verify the age of the user. If it’s illegal to supply pornographic videos, DVDs and cinema screenings to anyone under the age of 18, it should also be illegal to let to children view adult material online.
The Online Safety Act is a welcome development. However, while it limits children’s exposure to pornography, it doesn’t regulate it. Illegal explicit content will continue unchecked, which means children will still be at risk of exposure to harmful images. Also, young and vulnerable adults with addictive personalities will continue to be damaged by abusive content.
Consistent regulation
Hard copy videos containing “strong sexual content” are rated R18 by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and can only be supplied through a licensed sex shop. The BBFC is the main statutory regulator of pornography but their powers only extend to offline distribution. If the BBFC refuses to classify (because, for example, it contains illegal content) it cannot be published. However, the BBFC has no regulatory or enforcement powers over online pornography.
1.4 million children regularly access pornography every month
At a recent inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Commercial Sexual Exploitation, the BBFC said: “Regrettably, equivalent protections do not currently exist on the internet, where hard-core pornography (including illegal content and content the BBFC would refuse to classify on harm grounds) is freely accessible to viewers of all ages.”
The online pornography industry has been unregulated for too long. Pornography has proven, harmful effects on loving and meaningful relationships and can form destructive addictions. Pornography consumption leads to the dehumanisation and objectification of women and can fuel sexual violence.
Urgent action
The government should regulate the supply of pornography as well as the demand for it.
The Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) says the user-generated content (UGC) business model means that videos can be uploaded without any checks, controls or verification - and so it is not surprising that mainstream porn platforms can host “vast, unknown quantities of illegal content”. This needs to be properly regulated.
It is welcome that the government is now undertaking an internal review, and we expect a consultation next year - but we don’t yet know when and what it is prepared to legislate for.
It is imperative that action is taken soon – certainly before a general election is called. Pornography should be acknowledged as a form of sexual exploitation, and routes for redress for those harmed by pornography provided. Third party facilitators will then be more mindful of their contribution to the industry and how accountable they are prepared to be.
The existing outdated patchwork of laws governing pornography need urgently updating. But it must be more than a tidying up exercise. It is critical that reforms are introduced to ensure that pornography is regulated consistently both online and offline.
The reality is that our children and young people spend more and more time online. The government has a duty to protect them from harm.
You can sign the open letter to the Secretary of State on our Safety Net campaign website safetynet.org.uk
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