Certain adult content is now banned in the UK

Key Points:

• The UK has banned the publishing and possession of certain types of pornographic content, including strangulation or suffocation, incest or simulated incest, and sexual activity involving individuals perceived to be under 16, with penalties up to five years in prison for publication.
• These restrictions are part of the UK's Crime and Policing Act and are prioritized under the Online Safety Act, requiring platforms to implement measures preventing UK users from accessing banned content.
• Adult content creators, such as filmmaker Vex Ashley, have already begun censoring or altering their work to comply with the new laws, impacting genres like the "Mommy kink."
• Fetish video site iWantClips announced it would remove 17 categories of content from UK access, including various forms of smothering and fantasy play, in response to the legislation.
• Industry workers and free speech advocates warn that these regulations may expand further, expressing concerns about increasing censorship and the criminalization of sexual fantasies, while the UK also plans social media restrictions for children under 16.