MP Jess Phillips hit the headlines with her cheeky quip, “my heart bleeds,” in response to Pornhub’s massive 77% drop in visitors! This dive comes after the UK government introduced strict age verification measures under the new Online Safety Act. Jess shared this news in the House of Commons, highlighting the “green shoots” of change as these measures aim to safeguard young people online.
The MP pointed out the impact of these new rules on Pornhub, the nation’s most-visited adult site, which now faces a significant dip in traffic. Discussing the broader government strategy against violence towards women and girls (Vawg), Jess gave an overview of the ongoing efforts to tackle unregulated adult content and its influence on the youth.
Sarah Owen, Women and Equalities Committee chair, urged the government to crack down on tech giants failing to protect children from harmful content. She stressed the need for solutions that keep up with tech advancements. Lib Dem’s Marie Goldman chipped in, calling for more proactive measures to moderate online content to protect children from violent, misogynistic media.
Jess Phillips agreed, emphasising the urgency to hold tech companies accountable while collaborating with them for feasible solutions. She also mentioned a plan to ban depictions of strangulation in adult content as a step forward. Both MPs stressed the importance of taking swift action to mitigate the damaging effects of harmful online content.
The conversation remains heated as the government grapples with the challenge of shielding young users from dangerous digital influences while holding tech platforms to higher standards. How do you think tech companies should be made to address this issue? Share your thoughts!