Pornography law changes ‘will encourage domestic abuse’

MINISTERS have been warned that they will encourage domestic abuse after watering down controls on violent online pornography. The Government came under fire during the report stage debate on the wide-ranging Digital Economy Bill, which introduces age verification to prevent children under 18 viewing online porn.

Critics condemned a change in definition for legislative controls on “prohibited” material to “extreme pornographic” material, insisting it created a gap in the law.

Baroness Butler-Sloss, the former head of the High Court family division, warned of “unintended consequences” from the change to the extreme pornography definition. The Prime Minister had said she wanted to eradicate domestic violence, but the Government’s move would leave a “gap” in the law, she said.

“That means that serious violent porn will not be, if this legislation goes through, contained in the way that extreme violent pornographic material will be covered. This is an opportunity for those disposed to violence, particularly against spouses and partners, to see it online before they try it out in their own home.” Lady Butler-Sloss called for ministers to have to review the change after two years.

But Lord Ashton of Hyde, the culture, media and sport minister, said there was no “watering down” of controls on porn under the Bill and what was criminal offline was criminal online as well.

Teaching children about the internet should be as important as the three ‘Rs’, with youngsters given skills to keep safe online, the House of Lords communications committee has said.