House of Lords Debates Digital Economy Bill on Tuesday

House of Lords Debates Digital Economy Bill on Tuesday

LONDON — The House of Lords on Tuesday will go through a second reading of U.K.’s Digital Economy Bill, which would force ISPs to impose blocks on porn sites that don’t include age checks or sites that feature kinky sex acts.

The House of Lords is considering the Digital Economy Bill after it traveled through five stages at the House of Commons.

After Tuesday’s second reading at the House of Lords, the bill will go through a committee stage, report stage and third reading.

After the third reading at the House of Lords, and if the bill has been changed, each house must consider the other's amendments and suggest changes.

Once both houses have agreed on the exact wording of the bill, it receives “royal assent” and becomes law.

Among many of its provisions, 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.

With the bill, 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.

Filmed sex acts that are deemed by the BBFC to be "non-conventional" — including fisting, female ejaculation and public sex, as well as caning, whipping or spanking that leaves a mark — would be banned outright, if enacted into law. Passage would mean that catalogs of "extreme" adult content from foreign porn sites would effectively become unavailable in the U.K.

The bill also includes numerous other non-adult entertainment-related  measures, including one to improve broadband services and another that would crack down on online ticket scalping.

Tuesday’s hearing at the House of Lords begins at 6:30 a.m. (PST). The Digital Economy Bill is the last item on the agenda. A video broadcast of the hearing will be streamed here.

View 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

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Sex Work CEO Debuts Upgraded 'GPTease' AI Assistant

Sex Work CEO has introduced the new Canvas in-chat editing feature to its AI-powered, NSFW text generator, GPTease.

UPDATED: Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Show More