Twitter spared from Government proposals to crack down on children viewing porn online
Social media platforms will not be covered by new rules which will introduce ‘age verification’ for porn websites
CULTURE Minister Matt Hancock last night spared Twitter from proposals to crack down on children viewing porn online.
The Tory said the Government would be introducing ‘age verification’ for porn websites and would fine those who flout the law.
But social media platforms such as Twitter will not be covered by the crackdown.
The Minister insisted there was a “difference” between websites providing commercial porn that others “on which others can upload images”.
“So what we are proposing to do is put forward this Bill to deal with the large swathe of the problem and to get this working properly and to deal with the mainstay of the problem and then see how it’s working.”
He added: “It’s not a utopia but it is a very important step.”
Earlier former Cabinet Minister John Whittingdale warned more and more young people were accessing porn through social media sites.
And Maria Miller stormed: “Surely where there is a will there is a way?
“Is it not fair to say that four years ago providers such as Twitter told us it was impossible to take down visual images of children being sexually abused, but now, there quite rightly a code of practice in place.”
Mr Hancock separately agreed to work with MPs demanding millions of customers be allowed to dump their mobile phone provider mid-contract if the signal coverage is poor.
The proposal by former Cabinet Minister Grant Shapps was revealed by the Sun on Saturday.
Mr Hancock signalled the proposal could be included in a forthcoming Green Paper on reform to the telecoms and broadband sector. He said he wanted to ensure “consumers get a good deal from their mobile phone contracts and that those contracts will work”.