ATVOD calls for block on payments to foreign porn sites

[Arnox]

UK video-on-demand regulator ATVOD has called for a block on credit and debit card payments being made to foreign-based pornography websites that fail to take adequate measures to protect minors in the UK.

In its annual report, ATVOD argues that under Crown Prosecution Service guidance on the Obscene Publications Act, it is clear that non-UK website that offer unrestricted access to hardcore pornography that can be accessed in the UK should be considered in breach of UK law.

ATVOD points out that websites of this type typically offer free windows of content to attract payment by credit and debit card for other content. It questions whether action could not be taken to prevent such companies ? operating illegally ? from drawing revenues from UK bank and credit card accounts.

The regulator said it had raised the issue with payment companies and hoped to see progress on the matter in the coming year.

In its annual report, ATVOD highlighted successes within the UK over the past year against pornographic services that failed to ensure children were protected, including £100,000 in fines levied against porn sites operated by Playboy TV that failed to ensure under-18s could not access content.

?We have made good progress in ensuring that UK operators of regulated VOD services comply with rules designed to protect children from harmful content, but we are not complacent and will continue to monitor relevant services and act as required,? said ATVOD chief executive Pete Johnson. ?Our recent enforcement activity has sent a clear message that UK providers of hardcore pornography on demand must take effective steps to ensure that such material is not accessible to under-18s. Asking visitors to a website to click an ?I am 18? button or enter a date of birth or use a debit card is not sufficient ? if they are going to offer explicit sex material they must know that their customers are 18, just as they would in the ?offline? world.?

http://www.digitaltveurope.net/81072...gn-porn-sites/

[_Richard_]

no game of thrones in the UK?

[signupdamnit]

If they were to somehow pull this off the value of adult UK traffic would go through the roof. Why only block the payment, why not block it using DNS on the UK ISPs too so they can't even go to these foreign free tube sites?

I'm not normally in favor of this stuff but given what ATVOD is doing to pornographers within the UK it only seems fair that they do something to make the market more even with those outside of the UK (I have the same criticism for 2257 as well in the US). Also I have to admit if some kind of AVS were required to view porn online any of us who get income from paysites would likely see massive gains. The days of AVS were insane but can you really put the genie back in the lamp at this point?

[livexxx]

their remit is only the UK