Age checks on adult websites ‘could push children to dark web’

CHILDREN could be pushed towards extreme pornography and criminal gangs by age checks on adult websites, an impact assessment into government plans has revealed.

From May, people visiting explicit sites will have to prove they are 18 by completing age verification checks in a bid to protect children from harmful content. But a report by officials has warned that the changes could have the opposite effect and instead push youngsters onto the dark web, a hiding place for criminal gangs.

Announcing the age verification plans, ministers vowed last year that the change would make the UK “the safest place in the world for children to be online” by preventing them from accessing dangerous material.

But an official document on how the policy might work in practice states: “The potential for online fraud could rise significantly, as criminals adapt approaches in order to make use of false age verification systems/spoof websites and access user data. There is also a risk that both adults and children may be pushed towards Tor [the dark web tool] where they could be exposed to illegal activities and more extreme material.”

The dark web, so called because it is a favourite haunt of criminals including drug dealers and those who trade child pornography, is not reachable on a conventional internet browsers but can be accessed via platforms like Tor.

Experts believe children and adults may try to find ways around the new checks by seeking material on the dark web instead.

The report also highlights concerns that the policy will not be as effective as ministers hope because most porn websites are based in America and cannot be reached by the new checks.

A spokesman for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “There is no single solution, but age verification to protect young people from harmful pornographic content is an important part of our work to ensure that the UK is leading the way in online safety.”