Online safety legislation must be amended to ensure pornographic content that’s illegal offline world is also illegal online, campaigners say.

CARE made the call after a cross party group of lords proposed changes aimed at tackling online abuse and violence against women and girls.

The charity, which has spearheaded calls for children to be safeguarded from pornography, stresses that porn endangers girls in particular.

At present, material that is prohibited offline is widely available on mainstream adult sites and social media, yet the bill won’t tackle it.

Calling on the government to make changes to its online safety regime, CARE’s Director of Policy and Advocacy Louise Davies MBE said:

“Support is building for new duties on sites that host misogynistic content. Some of the most vile content in this category is in pornography, and it is not confronted in the Online Safety Bill.

“The legislation as currently drafted will not ensure a full parity of protection for children, and girls in particular. A chief reason for this is the bill’s failure to make what is illegal offline also illegal online when it comes to pornography. Extreme pornography is not something that is confined to the dark web. The most popular adult sites and mainstream social media platforms contain this material, which would not be allowed to be sold in the UK on DVD.

“BBFC rules governing offline pornography proscribe content that includes underage sex, or violence, but content including or fetishising these things is freely available online. On the main adult sites material that is non-consensual, and which often depicts underage girls, is freely available to watch. This is clearly harmful, as research shows. And, disturbingly, people who watch this type of content are more likely to physically harm others.

“The government must support measures that prevent children accessing pornography online full stop. We also call on ministers to go further and tackle truly odious content that promotes, and leads to, harmful sexual behaviour.”

Public opinion

A Savanta ComRes poll for CARE highlighted public concern that pornography is inspiring sexual violence against women and girls.

The poll found that 6 in 10 UK adults agree with the statement: “I am concerned that pornography is inspiring sexual violence against women and girls.”

7 in 10 adults also agree that: “The government should stop websites publishing extreme pornography that portrays violence or non-consensual sex”.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) provides analysis of social policy from a Christian perspective. For more information, or to request an interview with a CARE policy expert, contact: press@care.org.uk