UK Expands Criminal Prohibitions on Certain Pornographic Content
The United Kingdom continues to significantly expand its regulatory framework governing online adult content through amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, with important implications for platforms, producers, and distributors operating globally. Key Developments Recent legislative amendments will criminalize the possession and publication of certain categories of pornographic content, including: Depictions of strangulation or suffocation (“choking”) in a sexual context; and Content involving adults portraying children, including “age-play” or “barely legal” themed material. These measures build on a broader policy initiative aimed at addressing online harms, violence against women and girls, and child protection concerns. Criminalization of “Choking” Content What…
