“UK considers facial scanning for porn viewers”
UK porn watchers could have faces scanned https://t.co/rM01aerZBg
You may also like to watch : Who Is Kamala Harris? Biography - Parents - Husband - Sister - Career - Indian - Jamaican Heritage
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) December 5, 2023
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
UK porn watchers could soon have their faces scanned as part of a new government initiative aimed at protecting children from accessing explicit content online. The proposal, which is currently under consideration, has sparked a heated debate about privacy and civil liberties.
The plan was unveiled by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) in response to concerns about the ease with which minors can access adult material on the internet. Under the proposed system, users would be required to verify their age through facial recognition technology before gaining access to adult websites.
You may also like to watch: Is US-NATO Prepared For A Potential Nuclear War With Russia - China And North Korea?
Supporters argue that this measure is necessary to prevent children from being exposed to inappropriate content and to comply with the UK’s existing age verification laws. Currently, websites hosting adult material are required by law to verify the age of their users, but the responsibility for doing so falls on the websites themselves. The new system would shift this burden to the users, ensuring a more robust and consistent age verification process.
However, critics of the proposal have raised concerns about privacy and the potential for misuse of facial recognition data. They argue that this plan could create a database of individuals’ pornographic preferences and expose them to potential hacking or surveillance. Privacy advocates also point out that such a system could lead to a chilling effect on freedom of expression, as individuals may feel reluctant to access adult content due to the fear of being identified and stigmatized.
The DCMS has sought to address these concerns by emphasizing that the facial recognition data would be stored securely and used solely for age verification purposes. They also assure the public that the system would be subject to strict safeguards and oversight. However, critics remain skeptical, drawing attention to the numerous high-profile data breaches in recent years and the potential for mission creep, where the technology could be expanded for other surveillance purposes beyond its original intent.
The proposal comes at a time when the UK is grappling with the ethical and legal implications of emerging technologies. Facial recognition technology, in particular, has faced increased scrutiny and criticism for its potential to infringe on civil liberties. In 2019, London’s Metropolitan Police faced legal challenges over their use of facial recognition software, with critics arguing that it violated privacy rights and disproportionately targeted minority communities.
The government is expected to consult with industry stakeholders and privacy experts before finalizing any legislation. It remains to be seen whether the proposal will strike the right balance between protecting children and safeguarding individual privacy. As the debate unfolds, one thing is clear: the issue of online age verification is a complex and contentious one that requires careful consideration of both its intended benefits and potential risks..
Source
@BBCNews said UK porn watchers could have faces scanned bbc.in/41bMBcy
RELATED STORY.
