Pornography depicting strangulation to become criminal offence in the UK

UK Set to Make Pornography Featuring Strangulation a Criminal Offense

In a move aimed at reducing the normalization of violent behavior in intimate relationships, the UK government has announced plans to make pornography featuring strangulation or suffocation a criminal offense. Under the new law, tech platforms will be required to take proactive steps to prevent users from accessing such material.

The decision comes after a government review, commissioned by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, found that pornography featuring strangulation had contributed to the establishment of strangulation as a "sexual norm." The review also highlighted the dangers of non-fatal strangulation and suffocation, which can cause significant brain damage and lead to depression and anxiety.

The new law will make it an offense to possess or publish such content, with fines of up to £18m for tech platforms that fail to comply. The government hopes that this move will help break down barriers for victims of intimate image abuse, who currently have a limited time frame in which to come forward.

The choking ban has been welcomed by organizations that advocate for victims of domestic abuse, including the Institute For Addressing Strangulation. "Strangulation is a serious form of violence," said Bernie Ryan, chief executive of the organization. "When it's portrayed in pornography, particularly without context, it can send confusing and harmful messages to young people about what is normal or acceptable in intimate relationships."

The move is also seen as a response to online misogyny, which has devastating consequences for women and girls. Minister Alex Davies-Jones said that the government will not stand by while women are victimized online by violent behavior.

A recent survey found that most children have come across violent or aggressive pornography, leading to concerns about the normalization of such behavior. The British Board of Film Classification research highlighted a link between watching violent pornography and potentially dangerous behavior around consent.

The new law is set to become a priority offense, requiring tech platforms to use automated systems to detect and hide images, moderation tools, or stricter content policies to prevent abusive content from circulating.

The UK's decision to outlaw pornography featuring strangulation is a step in the right direction towards mitigating the normalization of violent behavior in intimate relationships . By holding tech platforms accountable for ensuring users can't access such content, the government is supporting victims of domestic abuse and helping to prevent further harm . While it's essential to consider the nuances of free speech and online censorship , this law's aim to protect vulnerable individuals is well-intentioned and pragmatic . It will be interesting to see how this policy plays out in practice, particularly in terms of balancing regulation with technological advancements .

omg u wont believe whats goin on in the uk rn they wanna make all that violent porn illegal lol its about time imo i mean who needs that kinda stuff anyway? its like how my ex used to watch those vids and it freaked me out so much...anyway back to this new law i think its super good news 4 all the victims of domestic abuse and online misogyny. its not like theyre just gonna sit around n waitin 4 someone 2 do somethin 2 them 1st lol i mean have u ever had 2 deal w/ online harassment? its so frustrating...anyway cant wait 4 this new law 2 kick in n hopefully make a diff 4 the better

I'm thinking that its kinda weird theyre making this change now . I mean, some might say it's about time, but we've got loads of porn out there already . Its not like tech platforms are just sitting around waiting for the government to tell them what to do . And whats gonna happen when its banned online? Gonna make it disappear magicly ? I dont think so . My cousin works in digital marketing and hes always saying how hard it is to keep up with all these new regulations . Maybe this is just a slippery slope, who knows

i think its about time we tackle this issue seriously the normalization of violence in porn shouldnt be ignored, especially when it comes to strangulation which can lead to some serious brain damage & anxiety issues its not just about tech platforms taking action, but also educating people about what is and isnt okay in intimate relationships we need more awareness about consent & healthy communication in relationships too

just heard about this and i gotta say its like totally a good move i mean who wants to see violent stuff in porn anyway? its not like that's gonna make it more appealing or anything... but seriously its all about breakin down those barriers for victims of abuse and makin sure people know that violence is never okay

and yeah its also about online misogyny and how that affects women and girls online... its a whole big mess, but i think we can all agree that we wanna do better, you feel?

idk why the gov is making this big deal about porn . its just a thing some people make to watch, right? but i guess if it's promoting violent behavior in relationships then it should be stopped . but whats gonna happen to all these old videos of ppl doing stuff that's now illegal? the gov is gonna have to go back and delete them or make new laws for people who made those vids .

I don't usually comment but I think this is a good move... like, for real . Strangulation in porn is super concerning and I can see how it could send the wrong message to people. My sister's friend was in an abusive relationship and she had to deal with some crazy stuff... so, yeah, this new law is probably a step in the right direction . It's not like they're trying to ban everything, just specific stuff that's super problematic. Plus, I think it's cool that they're taking action to help people who are already going through tough times . The fact that they have these automated systems and moderation tools is also pretty cool... it shows that the gov's actually listening to what people want .

omg can you even believe they're making porn featuring strangulation illegal? like what's next? i'm all for keeping people safe online but this feels like a big step forward we should totally see a reduction in domestic abuse and strangulation cases now that it's being taken seriously by tech platforms and the government

just think about it , porn with strangulation can be super bad for kids, like they might think its normal or something , but the UK is trying to stop that by making it a crime , hope it helps tho

OMG this is such an awesome move by the UK government I'm all for breaking down barriers for victims of domestic abuse and reducing the normalization of violent behavior in intimate relationships! It's about time we start holding tech platforms accountable for the content they host . Strangulation is not sexy or okay, it's a serious form of violence that can have devastating consequences . I'm so grateful to organizations like the Institute For Addressing Strangulation who are doing amazing work to raise awareness and support survivors . Let's create a culture where consent is key and violent behavior is never glorified

I'm not sure if this is the right move, tbh . I get where they're coming from - we don't want to encourage violence in any form, especially not towards women . But at the same time, how are we gonna enforce this? Tech platforms aren't exactly known for taking down problematic content quickly enough . And what about all the 'gray area' stuff that's hard to police? I mean, is it really a crime if it's just depicted in a way that's, like, 'mature' or 'edgy'? It feels like we're creating a whole new set of problems. And what about free speech, you know? We don't wanna stifle discussions around consent and healthy relationships, but at the same time... ugh, it's all so complicated

This feels like a step in the right direction, you know? I mean, who wants their kids scrolling through some sick disturbing stuff online? It's crazy how much of an impact these things can have on young minds. But at the same time, it's also a bit... complicated. Like, are we just demonizing something that exists already, or are we actually tackling the root cause of this issue?

I'm not gonna lie, I've seen some pretty dark stuff in my time online, but I've also seen how it can be used to shame and control people. It's like, we're trying to fight fire with fire, but what if that just fuels more flames? It's a tough one, man.

I guess the key is finding that balance between being proactive about protecting our youth and not stigmatizing entire genres of content that might be... questionable. The fact that Bernie Ryan from the Institute For Addressing Strangulation is on board with this is definitely reassuring. And I'm glad to see some action being taken, even if it's just a starting point.

It's like, we can't expect everything to change overnight, but maybe we can start creating a culture where violence and abuse are seen as unacceptable instead of... normal? Sounds cheesy, I know, but I think that's what this whole thing is all about: shifting the narrative.

I'm not sure if this is a step in the right direction... I mean, making all that stuff illegal seems kinda extreme. Like, can't people just choose what they watch? But at the same time, it's hard to deny that violent behavior is real and can have some pretty serious consequences . My main concern is about how this will affect creators and artists who work with these themes... will they get censored or their work get lost? It's a thin line between artistic expression and promoting harm .

I'm like totally stoked that the UK is taking steps to protect its people from all this violent porn stuff . It's crazy how some content creators think it's okay to feature strangulation in their videos, but it can lead to serious harm and depression for victims of intimate abuse . I mean, who wants to normalize that kinda behavior? Not me! Seriously though, it's awesome that the government is stepping up to take control of this issue and making tech platforms accountable for removing such content from their platforms.

I'm also loving the fact that organizations like the Institute For Addressing Strangulation are getting involved in this conversation . They're doing some amazing work and we should definitely be supporting them . And let's not forget about the kids – it's terrifying to think how much exposure they have to violent porn already . We need to make sure our tech platforms are doing everything they can to keep them safe online.

This new law is a huge step in the right direction, and I'm all for it . It's time we start taking online safety seriously and holding people accountable for their actions . Bring on the positive change!

I don’t usually comment but I think its kinda trippy that the UK is making an effort to stop violent behaviour in porn but still leaving the onus on the tech platforms to police it. Like what if some of this content is created by minors or people who are just exploring their kinks and dont know any better? Shouldn’t we be trying to educate them instead of just censoring everything?

‍ gotta think about the next gen, you know? their exposure to violent porn at such a young age is wild. like, i remember watching some stuff as a kid and thinking it was normal... but now that i'm older, i realize how messed up it is . and the stats on brain damage and depression from non-fatal strangulation are straight up terrifying . gotta make this change happen ASAP https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-62310935

omg, like, can you even imagine a world where we don't have to worry about this kind of stuff ? i mean, i'm all for free speech and all that, but come on, if it's gonna lead to more people getting hurt or feeling like they're not in control in their relationships, then yeah, let's take action . and tbh, it's about time we started holding these platforms accountable . i'm just glad that some orgs are speaking out about this stuff, like Bernie Ryan from the Institute For Addressing Strangulation . and can we talk about how messed up online misogyny is? it's like, we need to create a culture where women feel safe and respected online too .

im so glad the uk is taking action on this i mean who wants to see their favourite pornstar getting choked? it's not cool and it can have serious effects on ppl's mental health let's just say that violence in any form is never okay, especially when it comes to relationships and we gotta support each other in making sure everyone feels safe online

omg just heard about the UK's new law making strangulation porn illegal can't believe they're taking steps to protect people from watching violent stuff online it's so important for us to talk about consent and healthy relationships especially with the younger generation gotta respect those organizations that are fighting against online abuse