LOS ANGELES — The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published information for its members on the United Kingdom's recently passed pornography laws, which take effect next week.
FSC's statement follows:
The Free Speech Coalition has published guidance dealing with the UK law criminalizing certain choking, roleplay, and age play content. While more detailed regulatory guidance is still expected from organizations like Ofcom, the law officially goes into effect November 6.
"While the law is vague, we’ve attempted to parse the various provisions and the potential risk they can create for our members," says Alison Boden, Executive Director of Free Speech Coalition. "FSC can’t provide legal advice, but we hope to provide context and clarity to help cut through some of the misinformation online. These are draconian bans with serious penalties for creators, platforms, and consumers, and FSC members should take the law seriously."
The new law criminalizes distribution and possession of consensual sexual material, enforced through potentially enormous fines from Ofcom, as well as criminal charges.
Because everyone’s situation is unique and the lines between what is now legal and illegal are somewhat arbitrary, FSC urges industry members to speak to a UK lawyer to review their content and study their potential liability.
While individuals and businesses based in the UK likely face the greatest immediate risk, anyone with material accessible in the UK faces potential exposure. All businesses that publish or store content in the UK should review the law, be aware of the risks, and take precautions to protect themselves from potential liability.
“This legislation was pushed through claiming it was urgently needed to target violent and dangerous content, but unlike prohibitions against CSAM or revenge porn, the laws target legal, consensual sexual activity between adults,” says Boden. “This is a frightening precedent for free speech and sexual freedom. We will continue to guide our members as more information and resources become available.”
For more information, visit FreeSpeechCoalition.com.
