New UK Porn Law Sparks Row in Social Networks

Pornography produced in the UK was censored through an amendment to the 2003 Communications Act, resulting in a social media uproar.

MOSCOW, December 3 (Sputnik) — A recent amendment to the 2003 Communications Act has banned various sex acts in UK pornography, reports The Independent.

The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2014 requires that video-on-demand (VoD) online porn now observe the same guidelines that apply for DVD sex shop-type porn by the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC).

Several sexual acts as spanking, caning, aggressive whipping, role-playing as non-adults, female ejaculation, physical restraint, strangulation and face sitting have been ruled as ‘content that is not acceptable,’ reports The Independent.

The final three listed fall under acts the BBFC views as potentially "life-endangering".

The new censorship has caused a hilarious uproar in the internet with social media calling the ban 'absurd.' On Twitter a new hashtag appeared called ThingsNowBannedInUKPorn. 

So… with the new UK porn laws, will they only be showing 38 Shades of Grey in British theatres? #ThingsNowBannedinUKporn

— IG: JeremyForeshew (@jeremyforeshew) December 3, 2014

You'd better not shout, you'd better not cry. You'd better not pout,I'm telling you why. They're all #thingsnowbannedinUKporn.

— Chris Brosnahan (@ChrisBrosnahan) December 2, 2014

The new censorship imposes restrictions on content created in the UK, making no distinction between consensual and non-consensual practices between adults, although viewing of desired genres will still be possible via porn made abroad.

Award-winning erotic film director Erika Lust said, "We need to rethink what is offensive or dangerous and what is, in fact, normal human nature, and remember that it’s more important to educate than regulate."

According to Jerry Barnett of the anti-censorship group Sex and Censorship, there appears to be no rational explanations for most of the R18 rules, “They are simply a set of moral judgments designed by people who have struggled endlessly to stop the British people from watching pornography."

The move has been criticized by ‘femdoms’ (female dominatrixes) who state that the “outlawed” practices appear to target women, who are more likely to gain pleasure from the activities than men.

#ThingsNowBannedInUkPorn women smiling, or in any way looking pleased about anything. KNOW YOUR PLACE WOMEN.

— chiller (@chiller) December 2, 2014

Itziar Bilbao Urrutia, a dominatrix who produces porn with a feminist theme said, “The new legislation is absurd and surreal.”