UK porn ban takes effect 6 Nov 2026
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
From 6 November, England and Wales criminalise possessing or publishing porn showing strangulation, relative sex or under-16 role-play.
Publishers face up to five years; previously lawful saved files become criminal.
Background
The ban was announced by Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones and follows a 2025 review into porn regulation, which found depictions of choking were "rife" on popular porn sites and had helped normalise the act among young people. The decision was made earlier this year after cross-party pressure about the negative impact on women and girls. It is part of a wider government crackdown on access to extreme pornography, which has included requiring anyone browsing from a UK-based IP address to prove their age before accessing adult content.
How it unfolded
- 2025A review into porn regulation found depictions of choking were "rife" on popular porn sites and had helped normalise the act among young people.
- 2026 (earlier this year)The decision to ban three types of extreme pornography was made following cross-party pressure about the negative impact on women and girls.
- Oct 15, 2026The government announces that from 6 November it will be illegal to possess or publish porn showing strangulation or suffocation, sexual activity between related people, or adults role-playing as children under 16 in England and Wales.
- Oct 16, 2026Reporting confirms publishers face up to five years in prison, and owners up to two or three years depending on the type of image.
- Nov 5, 2026A post states the ban starts the next day under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, with up to 2 years for possession of strangulation or "relative" content, up to 3 years for under-16 role-play material, and up to 5 years for publishing any of it.
- Nov 6, 2026Possessing or publishing the banned pornography becomes a criminal offence in England and Wales.
Key terms
- IP address
- A numerical label assigned to a device on a network using the Internet Protocol, used for identification and location.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones says the change, alongside better enforcement and stronger regulation, sends an "unequivocal signal" that extreme and violent content encouraging real-life harm is not acceptable, and that young people deserve better examples of healthy relationships.
- Support
- Baroness Gabby Bertin said the announcement comes "not a moment too soon".
- Caution
- Lawyer Mines noted that possession is a continuing act, so material that was lawful to keep when saved becomes criminal possession on 6 November if it is still there, and that a "never seen it" defence is gone if the owner once watched it.