Privacy campaigners criticise UK plan for age checks on porn websites

Sites could reportedly be blocked for failing to follow government rules forcing users to provide credit card details as verification

Privacy and free speech campaigners have criticised the government's plans to force pornography websites to use age checks or face being blocked.

Websites flouting the new rules, which are part of the Digital Economy Act, could reportedly find that a regulator has told internet service providers to prevent access to them. Those who provide payment and other services to such sites could also be asked to impose restrictions.