Any material featuring the sexual exploitation and abuse of children is captured by the criminal law. The Online Safety Act, which received Royal Assent on 26 October, requires in-scope services to put in place proactive, preventative measures to limit people\u2019s exposure to child sexual exploitation and abuse content and remove it expeditiously. The Act will also bring in a new offence for intimate image abuse, which will criminalise the sharing of intimate images or films without consent.<\/p>
Additionally, the government has committed to undertaking a review of pornography legislation, regulation and enforcement, which will assess whether the regulation of online pornography in the UK is fit for purpose in tackling exploitation and abuse.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4818", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Saqib Bhatti"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Meriden"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Saqib Bhatti"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-23T17:19:02.19Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "216"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet: Pornography"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require websites to verify that every person featured in pornographic content on their platform (a) is an adult and (b) gave their permission for the content to be published on that platform.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dame Diana Johnson"} ], "uin" : "2539"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1600157", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1600157/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In the event of non-compliance, Ofcom will have the necessary powers to take appropriate and proportionate enforcement action to secure compliance from all services in scope of the Online Safety framework, including operators of online pornography services. This includes the power to require companies to take certain steps, the power to issue large fines, and powers to disrupt the ability of companies to operate in the UK.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4939", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Camrose"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Camrose"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-08T12:13:57.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "216"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-02-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet: Pornography"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how effective the enforcement procedures in the Online Safety Bill will be in relation to operators of online pornography services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL6004"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599700", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599700/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Online Safety Bill has been designed to bring into scope services which pose the greatest risk of harm to users, and where there is a gap in existing policy responses. Hosting, sharing and discovery of user-generated content give rise to a range of online harms and the Bill is therefore focused on user-to-user services which facilitate this harm. Search services are also in scope as they play a significant role in enabling individuals to access harmful content online.<\/p>
User-to-user and search services will be required to implement systems and processes to minimise the uploading and sharing of priority illegal content on their services. This includes priority offences relating to sexual images, for example, revenge pornography and extreme pornography. Priority offences reflect the most serious and prevalent illegal content and activity, against which companies must take proactive measures.<\/p>
Publishers of online content are already directly liable for offences which relate to the possession or distribution of illegal material such as extreme pornography. The criminal law is therefore the most appropriate mechanism for dealing with these providers rather than a regulatory regime, as it is not appropriate for Ofcom to duplicate the role of law enforcement.<\/p>
The Online Safety Bill will also address children\u2019s access to legal pornography through the Bill. It will cover all online sites that offer pornography, including commercial pornography sites, social media, video sharing platforms, forums and search engines. These services will need to prevent children accessing pornography or face enforcement action. This includes content classified as extreme pornography or pornographic content which has been refused a classification by the British Board of Film Classification.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4939", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Camrose"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Camrose"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL5946"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-13T16:48:41.11Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "216"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet: Pornography"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to ensuring that the Online Safety Bill empowers Ofcom to take action against any online services publishing illegal pornography, regardless of whether that content is user-generated or not.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL5944"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599702", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599702/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Online Safety Bill has been designed to bring into scope services which pose the greatest risk of harm to users, and where there is a gap in existing policy responses. Hosting, sharing and discovery of user-generated content give rise to a range of online harms and the Bill is therefore focused on user-to-user services which facilitate this harm. Search services are also in scope as they play a significant role in enabling individuals to access harmful content online.<\/p>
User-to-user and search services will be required to implement systems and processes to minimise the uploading and sharing of priority illegal content on their services. This includes priority offences relating to sexual images, for example, revenge pornography and extreme pornography. Priority offences reflect the most serious and prevalent illegal content and activity, against which companies must take proactive measures.<\/p>
Publishers of online content are already directly liable for offences which relate to the possession or distribution of illegal material such as extreme pornography. The criminal law is therefore the most appropriate mechanism for dealing with these providers rather than a regulatory regime, as it is not appropriate for Ofcom to duplicate the role of law enforcement.<\/p>
The Online Safety Bill will also address children\u2019s access to legal pornography through the Bill. It will cover all online sites that offer pornography, including commercial pornography sites, social media, video sharing platforms, forums and search engines. These services will need to prevent children accessing pornography or face enforcement action. This includes content classified as extreme pornography or pornographic content which has been refused a classification by the British Board of Film Classification.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4939", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Camrose"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Camrose"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "HL5944"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-13T16:48:41.173Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "216"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet: Pornography"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that violent and abusive pornography that would be prohibited from distribution offline is subject to equivalent controls online.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL5946"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599703", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Science, Innovation and Technology"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1599703/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Online Safety Bill will deliver comprehensive protections for children from online pornography. All sites that offer pornography will need to put in place measures such as age verification to prevent children accessing pornographic content on their services or face enforcement action.<\/p>
In assessing compliance or the risk of non-compliance, Ofcom will have wide-ranging information gathering and investigation powers. This includes the power to require information from companies and relevant third parties, the power to audit companies and interview employees, as well as enter and inspect companies\u2019 premises and seize equipment and/or documents with a warrant. These powers will ensure that Ofcom is able to effectively assess whether companies are fulfilling their regulatory requirements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4939", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Camrose"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Camrose"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-03-13T16:46:39.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "216"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Science, Innovation and Technology"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Internet: Pornography"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Online Safety Bill will enable the regulator to proactively assess online pornography services' compliance with age-verification requirements.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"} ], "uin" : "HL5947"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 5, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }