Possessing or publishing pornography showing strangulation, suffocation or sexual activity between relatives will become illegal in England and Wales on 6 November, the government says. The rules will also cover depictions of adults role-playing as children under 16.
The change follows a 2025 review led by Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin. It found choking depictions widespread on popular pornography sites and linked them to the normalisation of the act among young people.
Strangling someone without their consent is already a criminal offence. Online depictions are not currently illegal; provisions intended to cover the material were added to the Crime and Policing Bill before it became law in April.
Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said pornography could influence young people's understanding of healthy relationships. She urged people to delete the material if they have it and stop sharing it.
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