Porn watchers could be recorded in a nationwide database of viewing habits, under a new Government age verification scheme.
A new scheme to verify the age of people watching pornography online could see a country-wide database of viewing habits created.
In an effort to check people are old enough to watch explicit material, the Government has proposed issuing an ID number for each person.
A database of these ID numbers would record viewers habits.
The UK Government has been looking to introduce checks to ensure those accessing xxx-rated content online are over the age of 18-years-old.
Under a previous scheme proposed by the Conservatives, users would have to verify their age with a number of organisations, including banks, mobile operators, the NHS or the Post Office to gain access to adult content.
However the latest draft proposal uses a business standard that was created to ensure underage shoppers cannot buy knives online.
The system requires that each person is linked with a unique identifier, which can then be used to track user’s online habits.
Websites which fail to implement the new age verification scheme will be rendered inaccessible from within the UK.
However, the online age checking draft has now been removed.
"This draft is no longer available to be viewed," a message on the Government page reads.
"The comments that have been made on it have been collected, and will be considered by the committee responsible for the draft."
The Open Rights Group has pressed the Government to ensure the information being used in the age verification process be best safe and secure.
According to the organisation, it should also make sure the system is "designed to minimise the impacts on people".
However, even if the age verification system is secure, there is no evidence an age verification system would prevent "an even slightly determined teenager from accessing pornography, nor reduce demand for it among young people", the Open Rights Group claimed.
The organisation said: "The Government appears to be looking for an easy fix to a complex social problem.
"The Internet has given young people unprecedented access to adult content but it’s education rather than tech solutions that are most likely to address problems arising from this.
"Serious questions about the efficacy and therefore proportionality of this measure remain."
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