ATVOD Says Porn Enforcement on Rise

ATVOD Says Porn Enforcement on Rise

LONDON — ATVOD said in its annual report released today that the British video-on-demand regulator saw a spike in the number of porn websites it took action against in the past year.

Pete Johnson, the CEO of ATVOD, told XBIZ that the number of porn websites it has taken action against has “risen sharply,” a figure that is fivefold — 137 websites in 2014-15 compared to 27 sites in 2013-14.

In the report, ATVOD said that of the 137 sites involving 12 companies found to be in breach of statutory rules in the past 12 months, eight companies acted to make changes to bring the service into compliance or closed, and two were the subject of continuing ongoing enforcement activity. The remaining two companies were transferred to the control of a person or company established outside the U.K.

ATVOD’s main enforcement weapons include Rule 11, a U.K. statute that requires operators to make sure those under 18 can't access hardcore porn, and Rule 14, which outlaws VOD websites from containing "prohibited material" — content that would be denied a British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) certificate.

That prohibited material includes the distribution of content that includes acts of female ejaculation, spanking, fisting, water sports, full bondage and other types of strong explicit content.

ATVOD also enforces regulations over U.K.-based sites that fail to register with the VOD co-regulator.

Johnson, in a release earlier this morning, hinted that ATVOD plans increased enforcement with Rules 11 and 14 going forward.

“Looking forward, we note with interest the Conservative Party manifesto commitment to require age verification for access to all websites containing pornographic material,” Johnson said in a press release. “We have made good progress in ensuring that U.K. operators of regulated VOD services comply with rules designed to protect children from harmful content, but we are not complacent and will continue to monitor relevant services and act as required.”

The annual report also revealed that ATVOD Chairwoman Ruth Evans, who yesterday announced that she was tapped to lead the British government’s Payments Strategy Forum, will be leaving ATVOD in December after six years with the agency.

A new ATVOD chair has not yet been chosen to replace Evans.

View ATVOD's annual report

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Show More