David Cameron warns porn sites: Block under-18's access or face shut down

Picture posed by a model: The PM has warned adult sites must block under-18s.Credit: PA

 David Cameron warns porn sites: Block under-18's access or face shut down

Internet pornographers have been given a final ultimatum to put in place measures to block under-18s from viewing explicit content or face tough new laws to close their websites down.

David Cameron is determined to ensure that adult sites introduce age verification measures and the Government could pass legislation to compel them to do so if they do not agree voluntarily.

Mr Cameron said:

"I want to see age restrictions put into place or these websites will face being shut down."
– DAVID CAMERON

But the move is a softening of the position set out by the Tories during the general election campaign when Mr Cameron's party promised it would legislate to put porn websites behind age controls.

Instead, a consultation later this year will set out a range of options, including both a self-regulatory approach and the prospect of a new law.

The legislative approach would make it an offence to publish pornography online in the UK without a system for verifying a viewer's age. The regime could mean the creation of a new watchdog charged with overseeing and enforcing the controls.

The Prime Minister insisted the Government was "working hard to make the internet a safer place for children" and the next step in the campaign is to "curb access to harmful pornographic content which is currently far too widely available".