The UK government has announced that pornography depicting strangulation, suffocation, or incestuous relationships will be banned in England and Wales starting 6 November, with the law criminalizing both the possession and publication of such material.
Under the new rules, it will be illegal to possess or publish content that depicts sexual activity between people who are related or those pretending to be related. This includes scenarios involving step or foster-relations where one person is portrayed as being under 18. The ban also extends to pornography showing adults role-playing as children under 16.
Origins and Evidence for the Ban
The legislation follows an independent review into pornography regulation conducted in 2025. Commissioned by the government of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and led by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin, the review found that depictions of choking were rife
on popular pornography sites. The report concluded that this prevalence helped normalise the act among young people and could lead to devastating
real-world consequences.
While non-fatal strangulation without consent was already a criminal offence, its depiction in online pornography was not previously illegal. The new rules were established via amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, which became law on 29 April 2026.
New Laws Establish Maximum Prison Terms for Offences
The new laws establish different maximum penalties based on the nature of the offence:
- Publication: Uploading, posting, or making the content available online carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
- Possession (Under-16 Roleplay): Keeping images of adults pretending to be under 16 can result in up to three years’ imprisonment.
- Possession (Strangulation/Incest): Keeping images of suffocation, strangulation, or penetrative sex between certain relatives carries a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.
The government defines possession broadly, including images stored on computers, phones, or within cloud storage. However, the Act provides a defence for possession in specific circumstances, such as when there is a legitimate reason or if the individual directly participated in the act and no non-consensual harm occurred.
Ofcom has the authority to fine non-compliant services up to 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue or £18 million. Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, welcomed the step but urged the government to ensure the ban is effectively enforced.
Future Regulatory Steps
Looking forward, ministers are required to report to Parliament by April 2027 regarding the methods platforms use to verify the consent and age of performers featured in pornographic content.
