DEVELOPING: Government Cracks Down on Online Porn, Bans Choking Content

Breaking News: Government Cracks Down on Online Porn, Bans Choking Content The UK government has announced plans to make online pornography showing choking or suffocation a criminal offence, as part of efforts to tackle violence against women and girls. The move comes after a review found such content is widespread on mainstream porn sites and contributes to normalizing the act among young people. Both the possession and publication of choking material will be punishable under amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, currently going through Parliament. Online platforms will be required to proactively detect and remove such content or face enforcement action from media regulator Ofcom. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has stated that choking in pornography will be a "priority offence" under the Online Safety Act, on the same level as child sexual abuse material and terrorism content. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall described the content as "vile and dangerous." This move aims to address the normalization of violence against women and girls, particularly among young people. The government's review found that depictions of choking are "rife" on mainstream porn sites. The current status of the bill is that it is going through Parliament, with amendments expected to be implemented soon. The exact timeline for the changes is not yet confirmed. This is a developing story, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.