New Pornography Laws in England and Wales: What Creators Need to Know

If you create or sell adult content in England or Wales, now is the time to review your catalog.

New offenses under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 take effect on November 6, 2026. They cover possession and publication of specified pornography depicting strangulation or suffocation, certain family relationships, and sexual activity involving someone portrayed as under 16. Existing material can be affected too.

What content do the changes cover?

The offenses concern explicit, realistic depictions involving people who appear real to a reasonable viewer.

The categories include:

• Strangulation or suffocation.
• Penetrative sexual activity between certain relatives, including people pretending to have those relationships.
• Sexual activity between at least two people where someone is, or is pretending to be, under 16.

Realistic AI-generated images can also fall within the rules. Using generated performers does not automatically put content outside the law.

Does fictional roleplay count?

It can. The legislation expressly addresses some situations where performers are pretending.

For family-roleplay content, the associated sound and information matter alongside the images. The rules also cover certain step-family and foster-family scenarios where someone is portrayed as under 18.

That means creators should avoid assuming either that every “step” scenario is covered identically or that fictional relationships are automatically exempt. Review the specific scenario rather than relying on its category label.

What about content already uploaded?

The government’s guidance says possession and publication can continue over time. An earlier upload date does not automatically protect material once the offenses begin.

Publication includes making an image available to another person through uploading, sending, or sharing. Possession can include files under your control on devices or in cloud storage.

For material covered by the offenses, the guidance calls for removing it from availability and permanently deleting or otherwise disposing of possessed copies before commencement. Specific defenses exist, but their conditions matter.

What should creators review now?

Start with an organized check of the places you control:

• Your published catalog: store listings, subscription posts, previews, and promotional uploads.
• Private delivery channels: paid messages, custom-order delivery tools, and shared folders.
• Stored material: working files, exports, backups, and cloud accounts.
• Upcoming work: scheduled releases and requests you have already accepted.

Review the full presentation, including dialogue, captions, titles, and descriptions. If something raises a legal question, pause further distribution and get advice about the specific material before the deadline.

For affected custom orders, contact the platform about the appropriate cancellation or refund process rather than delivering something you believe may breach the rules.

Shouldn’t the platforms handle this?

Platforms have their own responsibilities. The government describes these offenses as part of the Online Safety Act framework, requiring proactive measures against the relevant illegal content.

Creators should still review their own material. A clip remaining available on a website is not a reliable legal assessment, and a platform’s moderation team cannot check every copy stored in your personal accounts.

Information checked October 20, 2026. This article explains the announced changes in England and Wales. For questions about a particular recording, your location, or cross-border distribution, seek advice from a qualified lawyer.