Although it’s been discussed in the past, it looks like the UK government has officially announced plans to make pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation illegal, as part of broader efforts to combat violence against women and girls.

Some may call it kink shaming, but it seems the UK government calls it obscene.

The new measure will be introduced through amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, currently before Parliament. It will make both the possession and publication of such material a criminal offence. Tech platforms hosting or distributing pornographic content will also be legally required to detect and remove choking material or face enforcement action from the media regulator Ofcom.

The ban follows an independent government review which found that depictions of strangulation — often referred to as “choking” — were “rife” on mainstream porn sites and had contributed to the normalization of the act, particularly among young people.

Under the new rules, choking pornography will be classified as a “priority offence” under the Online Safety Act, placing it in the same category as child sexual abuse and terrorist content.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall called the material “vile and dangerous,” adding that “viewing and sharing this kind of material online contributes to a culture of violence and abuse that has no place in our society.”

She continued, “We’re also holding tech companies to account and making sure they stop this content before it can spread.”

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Alex Davies-Jones said the amendment sends a “strong message” that the government will not tolerate content that normalizes sexual violence.

“Every day, women and girls have their lives turned upside down by cowards who hide behind screens to abuse and exploit them,” she said. “We will not stand by while women are violated online and victimized by violent pornography.”

The choking ban stems from recommendations made by Baroness Gabby Bertin, who led the government’s independent pornography review, published in February. The report cited instances of children as young as 14 discussing choking in sexual contexts and warned that the act had become perceived as a “sexual norm.”

Medical experts say strangulation poses severe risks even when it leaves no visible injuries. Studies have linked non-fatal choking to long-term neurological effects, including brain damage and cognitive impairment.

In 2021, non-fatal strangulation was made a standalone criminal offence under the Domestic Abuse Act, following evidence that perpetrators often evaded punishment due to a lack of physical marks.

Advocates welcomed the move to extend those protections to online spaces. Bernie Ryan, chief executive of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, stated that the law conveys a crucial message about safety and consent.

“Strangulation is a serious form of violence, often used in domestic abuse to control, silence, or terrify,” Ryan said. “When it’s portrayed in pornography, it sends confusing and harmful messages to young people about what’s normal in intimate relationships. Our research shows there is no safe way to strangle.”

The new amendment will require platforms to proactively identify and remove prohibited content, using moderation systems, automated detection tools, or stricter content policies. Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to £18 million.

While campaign groups such as the End Violence Against Women Coalition praised the move as “a vital step,” others warned that enforcement remains a challenge. Fiona Mackenzie, founder of the advocacy group We Can’t Consent To This, said similar laws already exist under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, but are rarely enforced.

“The porn sites make this normal for men — and none of those sites have ever felt the impact of the existing law,” Mackenzie said. “So a change in law or practice is needed. It’s possible that this time the government might actually do something about this.”

The government said the amendment builds upon existing provisions under the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, and will strengthen online protections by making enforcement a statutory duty.