27 Feb
Written Statement
Independent Pornography Review: Baroness Bertin Report

Baroness Bertin’s report focuses on regulating online pornography to mirror offline standards due to concerns over its effects on mental and physical wellbeing. It discusses how unregulated access contributes to violence against women and girls, with particular attention to violent and misogynistic content influencing harmful offline behaviors, such as the rise of choking in sexual encounters despite medical risks. The review emphasizes the critical roles of the Online Safety Act 2023 and forthcoming legislation in curbing harmful content and reinforcing protections, especially against non-consensual deepfakes facilitated by AI advancements. There is also a focus on education reforms to address and prevent misogyny in societal and school settings.

Crime and Policing Bill

Introduces offenses related to non-consensual intimate imagery, advancing the legal framework against online sexual abuse.

Outcome

The review has prompted the Government to outline measures to counter online pornography’s adverse societal effects, emphasizing legal and educational reforms to curb violent sexual behavior and protect individuals. Upcoming legislative measures focus on criminalizing deepfakes and better equipping schools to foster respectful relationships, all contributing to the broader mission of halving violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Key Contributions

Baroness Jones of WhitchurchMinister for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety
Her Majesty's Government

Introduced Baroness Bertin's independent report, noting its focus on the harms of online pornography and its alignment with the Online Safety Act 2023 to protect against harmful content.

Original Transcript

All content derived from official parliamentary records