In a decisive move aimed at curbing the spread of violent online content, the UK government has announced sweeping new measures to make online pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation illegal. This announcement, made on November 3, 2025, follows mounting evidence that such material has contributed to the normalization of dangerous sexual behaviors, particularly among young people. The proposed changes come in the form of amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, and signal a significant tightening of digital content regulation in the UK.
Under the new rules, both the possession and publication of images or videos showing strangulation or suffocation in a sexual context will become criminal offences. As the government confirmed, this crackdown is part of a broader strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) stating that the change would make such acts in pornography a "priority offence" under the Online Safety Act. This would place it on the same enforcement level as child sexual abuse material and terrorism content, requiring technology companies to take proactive steps to detect and remove it from their platforms.
The urgency behind this legislative push is rooted in a series of alarming findings. According to BBC, a government-commissioned review led by Conservative peer Baroness Bertin, published in February 2025, uncovered disturbing anecdotal evidence from teachers. They reported that students, some as young as 14, had asked how to choke girls during sex, pointing to a growing perception that such acts are normal or even expected in intimate relationships. The review concluded that people acting out choking in their sex lives "may face devastating consequences."
Baroness Bertin, in her review, warned of a "total absence of government scrutiny" of the pornography industry and called for urgent action. The government responded by pledging in June 2025 to table amendments outlawing the depiction of choking in online pornography, building on existing laws such as the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, which already criminalize possession of extreme porn, including life-threatening acts. However, as campaigners have argued, these laws have not been effectively enforced in the digital age.
The proposed amendments do not stop at criminalizing the content itself. They will also extend the time limit for victims of intimate image abuse, including so-called "revenge porn," to come forward and report such crimes. Currently, victims have just six months to report these offences, but under the new rules, this window will be extended to three years. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) emphasized that this change is designed to give survivors more time to seek justice, recognizing the emotional and psychological barriers many face when coming forward.
Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones, speaking on November 3, 2025, made the government's stance clear: "We will not stand by while women are violated online and victimised by violent pornography which is allowed to normalise harm. We are sending a strong message that dangerous and sexist behaviour will not be tolerated." Her words echo a growing consensus that the normalization of violence in online content has real-world consequences, especially for women and girls.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall was equally forthright, describing the material as "vile and dangerous." She stated, "Viewing and sharing this kind of material online is not only deeply distressing, it is vile and dangerous. Those who post or promote such content are contributing to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society. We're also holding tech companies to account and making sure they stop this content before it can spread. We are determined to make sure women and girls can go online without fear of violence or exploitation."
According to the government, if the amendments are accepted, technology firms will be legally required to use moderation tools, stricter content policies, or automated systems to detect and hide violent content—rather than simply waiting for it to be reported. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) welcomed the planned changes but cautioned that they should "mark the beginning of broader reform to ensure parity between online and offline content standards." BBFC chief executive David Austin commented, "Harmful depictions of non-consensual, violent and abusive activity continue to be readily accessible to UK users." The BBFC also expressed readiness to take on the formal role of auditing online pornography, describing it as a "natural extension" of its offline regulatory work.
The risks posed by such content are not limited to adults. Bernie Ryan, chief executive of the Institute For Addressing Strangulation, emphasized the "serious risks posed by unregulated online content, especially to children and young people." She explained, "Strangulation is a serious form of violence, often used in domestic abuse to control, silence or terrify. When it's portrayed in pornography, particularly without context, it can send confusing and harmful messages to young people about what is normal or acceptable in intimate relationships. Our research shows there is no safe way to strangle."
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, described the amendments as "a vital step" toward tackling the normalization of violence in online content. She pointed out, "There is no such thing as safe strangulation; women cannot consent to the long-term harm it can cause, including impaired cognitive functioning and memory. Its widespread portrayal in porn is fuelling dangerous behaviours, particularly among young people."
Yet, not everyone is convinced that the proposed laws will be effective. Campaigner Fiona Mackenzie, founder of the group We Can't Consent To This, expressed skepticism about enforcement. She argued that while there are already existing laws against showing choking in pornography, they have not been enforced in practice. "The porn sites make this normal for men—and none of those sites have ever felt the impact of the existing law. So a change in law or practice is needed. It's possible that this time the government might actually do something about this. However, until we see otherwise, I don't believe that any new law will actually be enforced," she said, as reported by BBC.
Backing up the urgency of these reforms, a 2019 BBC survey suggested that 38% of women aged 18-39 had been choked during sex, highlighting just how widespread the practice has become—and raising questions about the role of online content in shaping sexual expectations and behaviors.
As the Crime and Policing Bill returns to the House of Lords for further scrutiny, all eyes are on Parliament to see whether these landmark amendments will pass and how rigorously they will be enforced. The debate has brought together a broad coalition of voices—politicians, educators, campaigners, and regulators—united in their concern for the safety of women and young people in an increasingly digital world. Whether these new laws will make a tangible difference remains to be seen, but the government’s message is clear: the normalization of violence online will no longer be tolerated.
