[ta1243]

It's not hard

1) Get any porn site that is going to obey this to instead list themselves in some open way (TXT record in DNS, blockchain, some other form of list)

2) Get any provider in the UK to block access to those lists if the account owner wants it. That's ISPs and phone providers. I'd say it should be opt in, but opt out would be a reasonable compromise.

That way I can be happy that my 12 year old won't accidentality end up on some really shady porn site following a link from a classmate's whatsapp if they aren't at home.

Of course classmates can still share the content on whatsapp, and this isn't going to stop that.

If you want to really tackle the problem - and this would be really controversial -- have lists of "healthy porn", which people could opt in via their ISP to allow, or perhaps allow for a set period. I have no problem with a teenager looking at boobs, there's a big difference between the modern equivalent of FHM or playboy and many kinds of aggressive porn that's just as accessible.

[strangecasts]

> 1) Get any porn site that is going to obey this to instead list themselves in some open way (TXT record in DNS, blockchain, some other form of list)

Exists in the form of the "rating"/RTA <meta> tag - https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/...

[jeroenhd]

> I'd say it should be opt in, but opt out would be a reasonable compromise.

Currently, it's already opt-out on major UK ISPs. Anyone with the brains to download a free VPN app (which includes kids) can bypass those blocks, though. That's probably why the government moved from putting the blame on ISPs to putting the blame on web hosts.

I think an effective age block is only going to make things worse for teenagers. If all of the responsible, normal porn sites follow the rules and enforce an age gate, the niche/shady websites will be all vulnerable teenagers can access.

I'd rather see a distinction between "normal porn" and "extreme porn" when it comes to content filters, but the UK also tried that when regulating UK porn productions. The list of banned acts included "caning, aggressive whipping, and humilation" (which makes sense to be labeled extreme, IMO), but also "facesitting, female ejaculation and urolagnia", which I feel are more like someone writing laws revealing their personal icks in legal texts.

[ta1243]

> Anyone with the brains to download a free VPN app (which includes kids) can bypass those blocks, though.

Well parental controls exist to prevent that from being added. But once you have vpns, you simply connect to another country's end point to bypass this anyway.

> If all of the responsible, normal porn sites follow the rules and enforce an age gate, the niche/shady websites will be all vulnerable teenagers can access.

That's my main worry.

Far better regulation of the generation of porn, which can ensure that the actors are doing it for their own free will, not harmed (any more than many other jobs), etc, would be a far better approach. This of course is easier said than done.

> but also "facesitting, female ejaculation and urolagnia"

It does feel like they are taking the piss.

[louwrentius]

It's very hard. Teenagers will teach each other to circumvent any of this within seconds. It's as old as the internet.

But maybe it would be healthier if you discuss this topic with your 12-year-old. The reality is that they'll be able to find any kind of pr0n within seconds when they has access to an unfiltered computer or phone.

At age 12 it's also expected that you start the transition from a child to an adult, so trying to block the outside world isn't preparing them for the freedom they'll encounter at 18-21.

The idea that there is even a definition of 'healthy' porn seems ludicrous to me. That's not 'really' tackling the problem. That's not understanding the problem in the first place.

Speaking of which: there isn't a problem in the first place.

[ta1243]

They're really not interested yet now and get annoyed when other kids in the class post it

It's about being able to control and monitoring in the real world, where unlike the 90s the "family computer" isn't the thing in the corner of the living room.

There's 6 more years before they're an adult, 4 more years before they can legally have sex, and typically at least 4 years before they start heavy petting, plenty of time to transition.

Someone on their first driving lesson isn't dropped in the middle of the arc de triumph and told to drive to Rome, it takes a lot of lessons to get that far.

[spacemadness]

You might want to rethink your perceived timeline for how sexuality works in practice for teenagers if you’re waiting to talk to them on schedule. Source: was a teenager.

[ta1243]

You clearly have no idea about parenting if you think all you have to do is have "a talk"

Healthy is a continual conversation from aged 8 through 18

[spacemadness]

I never said anything of the sort. You just seemed to be on a strict timeline. Have a nice day and good luck.