Understand
UK government announces ban on online porn showing choking, incest, and adult role-playing as children
Overview
From 6 November, possessing or publishing certain types of online pornography—including content depicting strangulation, suffocation, incestuous relationships, and adults role-playing as children under 16—will become illegal in England and Wales. The new legislation follows a review which found that extreme content had normalised violence and harmful acts among young people. Offences carry maximum penalties ranging from two to five years' imprisonment.
Key points
- From 6 November, it will be illegal to possess or publish online porn showing strangulation, suffocation, incest, or adults role-playing as children under 16.
- The new rules follow a 2025 review that found depictions of choking were widespread on popular porn sites and normalised acts among young people.
- Publishing illegal content carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
- Possession of strangulation, suffocation, or incest images carries up to two years' imprisonment, while possession of images involving adults pretending to be under 16 carries up to three years.
- Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones stated that the measures aim to prevent online porn from normalising violence against women and blurring lines of acceptable real-life behaviour.