A new independent UK taskforce is set to propose legislation this autumn that would ban so-called 'barely legal' pornography online. The group, led by Conservative peer Baroness Bertin, aims to make it illegal for websites to host content that could encourage child sexual abuse.
The move follows concerns raised by a Channel 4 documentary about porn star Bonnie Blue, real name Tia Billinger, who has boasted about having sex with 'barely legal 18-year-olds'. The taskforce, established last month, is expected to recommend banning scenes depicting adults dressed as children or sets resembling a child's bedroom.
Baroness Bertin told the PA news agency: 'We would seek to bring parity with what is legal offline and what is legal online. Whatever is illegal offline should be illegal online – that is not a freedom of expression issue, that is just plain common sense.' The group is exploring legal changes, such as amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill.
Currently, the Online Safety Act requires platforms to protect users from illegal material like child sexual abuse, but content banned offline by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) does not face the same scrutiny online. A Government spokesperson said: 'Violence against women and girls is a national emergency... Tackling extreme pornography is a vital part of that mission.'
