Move to enforce age limit on online porn

The first steps in forcing pornography websites to check that users are over 18 are being announcedbythegovernment today in an effort to make the internet safer for children.

Websites flouting new rules, which are set to be part of the Digital Economy Act, could find that a regulator has told their internet service providers to block access to them.

Those who provide payment and other services to the site could also be told. The aim is for all online pornography to have age verification controls by April 2018 along with the appointment of a new regulatory body to oversee and enforce it, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said. The regulator could be the British Board of Film Classification.

Digital minister Matt Hancock is to set to formally kickstart the process with a written statement to the House of Commons.