Choking and incest pornography will be banned from November 6 under new criminal law

Possession or publication of pornography depicting strangulation, incest or adults roleplaying as children under 16 will become a criminal offence in England and Wales from November 6. Justice minister Alex Davies-Jones confirmed the date, warning anyone holding such material to delete it immediately. The rules follow cross-party pressure and a 2025 review that found choking depictions were rife on mainstream sites and had become normalised among young people.

Conservative peer Baroness Gabby Bertin, who led the review, said the ban came 'not a moment too soon' after strangulation in porn became 'totally normalised'.

A 2024 study found more than a third of 16 to 34-year-olds had reported being choked during consensual sex, with 43% of sexually active 16 to 17-year-olds reporting the same.