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It’s not illegal to watch porn if you’re under 18 but there are certain things that are illegal that you should be aware of.
Remember
The Law is there to protect young people, not punish them.
In the UK, it’s legal for anyone to watch or look at porn but you have to be over 18 to buy it. This is why websites such as OnlyFans are only for over 18s.
It is illegal for anyone to show or give porn to someone under 18, even if they are under 18 themselves.
Many people watch porn and it is very accessible but you should never feel that you should or have to use it. Just because it’s not illegal to watch porn under 18, doesn’t mean that it’s intended for young people – It is adult content and watching porn can be harmful.
Lots of people also don’t enjoy watching porn, which is completely normal. Everyone’s porn use and likes are different!
The law states that it is legal to watch porn as long as it doesn’t involve:
Content warning
These are illegal but you may still come across them. Porn takes up one third of all web traffic so you can imagine how difficult it is to make sure that all pornography content follows the law. You also might come across illegal porn without knowing it – it can be difficult to know for sure that the people in porn are over 18 if it’s not ethically-produced porn.
What do I do if I see porn that involves anyone under the age of 18?
If you see porn involving people underage, you should report it. You can do this by reporting (anonymously if you wish) to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) who can remove the content and safeguard the young person. If you are affected by what you saw, speak to a trusted adult or talk to a support organisation.
It is always illegal to:
In short: if you are under 18 you shouldn’t be sending, sharing or receiving messages that include images/videos of naked people or porn, even if it’s consensual.
If you are under 18 and someone is asking you to send nudes online you can report it to CEOP.
Could I get in trouble with the police?
Because sending nudes is illegal if you’re under 18, it will be recorded as a crime if it is reported to the police.If it’s assessed that the person isn’t a risk to others, then Outcome 21 allows crimes to be recorded without any action being taken and without a criminal record. Remember: the law is there to protect young people not punish them.
Revenge porn is when someone shares private, sexual or explicit videos/photos of another person without their consent with intent to cause embarrassment, shame or distress. This is a form of sexual abuse and is illegal in England and Wales. This term only applies if you are over 18, if you are under 18 this type of content is classed as child abuse imagery.
Revenge porn can happen on social media, through texting or email or by showing someone a physical or digital image/video. It is never okay to share private, sexual material that isn’t yours regardless of whether they shared it with you in the first place, who you’re sharing it with or what they might’ve done, it is always illegal and never okay.
What to do if this has happened to you
If you are 18 or over and have been affected by this, you can call the Revenge Porn Helpline on 0845 6000 459. They can help you remove the image if it’s online and get support. If you are under 18 and have been affected by this, you can call ChildLine on 0800 1111 and/or visit the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) website.
It is not illegal to have pornographic content such as images or videos on your phone or in printed version if the content isn’t illegal. If it’s content of you or someone else, they must be over 18 and you must have their consent to have taken the video/photo.
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