The UK porn block is finally dead
The United Kingdom has finally scrapped a plan to require age verification for accessing porn online, following years of tortuous debate and setbacks. Nicky Morgan, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media, and sport, says the government “will not be commencing” Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 — which would have required internet users to prove they were over 18 before viewing pornographic sites. Instead, it will focus on protecting children through “wider online harms proposals.”
The porn ban was already widely considered dead. It was shelved indefinitely in July, following multiple delayed deadlines. Critics pointed to potential privacy issues with the proposal, as well as the outsized power it could have given porn...