Culture Media and Sport written question – answered at on 17 July 2013.
John Leech
Liberal Democrat, Manchester, Withington
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received reports on the discussions that the UK video on demand regulator ATVOD is having with UK financial institutions to consider whether it is possible to block payments from the UK to the operators of non-UK websites which appear to be breaking the Obscene Publications Acts by allowing children to access explicit hardcore pornography; what the Government's policy is on this matter; and if she will make a statement.
Ed Vaizey
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
I welcome the work that the Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD) has undertaken in this area to explore with UK financial institutions and card companies the possibility of declining to process payments to websites operating from outside the EU which allow under 18s in the UK to view explicit pornographic content. The protection of children online is of the utmost importance and we will watch this work with interest. ATVOD provided a report on this area to the UKCCIS executive board on July 8th 2013 and we look forward to receiving further reports on their progress in due course.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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