Politician: Digital Economy Bill Useless Unless Social Media Is Included

Politician: Digital Economy Bill Useless Unless Social Media Is Included

LONDON — The politician who introduced the U.K.’s Digital Economy Bill is worried that a porn filter mandate might be useless if the piece of legislation doesn’t include social media networks like Twitter.

"One of the main ways in which young people are now exposed to pornography is through social media such as Twitter, and I do not really see that the bill will do anything to stop that happening," conservative MP and former minister John Whittingdale told Parliament on Monday.

Members of the House of Commons on Monday approved the third reading of the Digital Economy Bill, effectively sending the draft legislation to the House of Lords for consideration.

The Digital Economy Bill contains measures to bring in age verification for adult sites and withdraws payment services from sites, including foreign ones, that do not comply. The government also has given the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) new powers to enforce rules over the types of sex acts that are distributed over the web.

Matt Hancock, who acts as minister of state for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, said Monday that social media networks wouldn't be affected by the bill's passage because they're a "difficult technical nut to crack."

"There is a difference between websites that provide commercial pornography and platforms on which others can upload images," Hancock told members of Parliament. "And getting this right around that second group is much harder than around the first group. 

"We are legislating to prevent as much as possible of that inadvertent viewing by those who are not desperately actively seeking to do so. I appreciate that the bill is not a utopia, but it is a very important step forward."

Many question whether social network sites like Twitter, Tumblr or Reddit would make significant structural changes at the behest of U.K. authorities.

Twitter's rules curtail the use of "pornographic or excessively violent media" in profile or header images, but the portal allows posts to contain explicit adult content.

The amount of explicit content on the platform has grown since June, when Twitter allowed users to post videos lasting up to two minutes and 20 seconds.

Pictured: John Whittingdale

View text of Digital Economy Bill

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Federal Appeals Court Vacates FTC 'Click to Cancel' Rule Pending Review

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on Tuesday vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s “click-to-cancel” rule aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions, pending further review.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Only Tax Deductions Joins Pineapple Support as Sponsor

Adult industry accounting firm Only Tax Deductions has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Adult Empire Launches 'Conversations' Podcast Series

Adult Empire has launched a new official podcast series hosted by Nicole Chappelle and Charlie.

Sex Work CEO Launches 'Teams Plan' for AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Teams Plan for its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult Industry, Override Possible

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Show More