Censorship law
From 26th January 2009 it has been illegal for anyone in England and Wales to possess an “extreme” image, even if the activity itself is legal.
This site monitors implementation of the law, provides sources of advice for many otherwise law abiding citizens inadvertently caught up in this, and explains how the law came about.
The full text of the relevant part of the Act is available here,
government advice here and Backlash’s legal section starts here.
Dangerous Cartoons Act
From April 6th 2010 it has been illegal to possess “non-photographic visual depictions of child sexual abuse”.
While Backlash are firmly opposed to the production and possession of photographic child pornography, the addition of cartoons to the remit of illegal child pornography in Chapter 2, Coroners and Justice Act 2009 once again promotes the proliferation of victimless thought crime.
We have more details here.
Freedom Bill
Backlash supports the right to consensual adult human pornography, and the repeal of section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. More details of our case for repeal can be read here.
Backlash is also encouraging people to read and rate the existing contributions on the Government’s Your Freedom site. Further information can be found here.
We not condone all the forms or means of production of pornography. Backlash encourages a broader debate on the nature and role of
pornography.
Legal advice
Backlash can help some of those accused of a section 63 offence, by putting them in contact with expert legal advice. We can also provide useful information to defence solicitors if requested. In July 2010, we assisted one man in having some poorly founded charges dropped.
Follow the latest blogs
(These blogs are the responsibility of the poster - they do not necessarily reflect settled Backlash policy)
Hatfield police celebrate first conviction for extreme porn under new laws
Following an investigation by PC Ross Freeman and Hatfield neighbourhood Sergeant Malcolm Dey, along with the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) and BPI (British Recorded Music Industry), Glen Smith, 38, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail after pleading guilty to 22 charges of selling counterfeit CDs and DVDs and possession of extreme pornography on Friday, August 20 2010. Sergeant Dey said: “We are the first officers in the county to make use of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 – possession of extreme pornographic images – and it was only possible by the fantastic support from FACT and BPI". To read more, click on the link to the article below. http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/news/8348408.Hatfield_police_celebrate_first_conviction_for_extreme_porn_under_new_laws/ ( read more... )
Lord Andrew Mcintosh loses his fight with cancer
Baron Mcintosh died on Friday 27th 2010. A committed humanist who opposed to interference in the private lives of adults as long as what they do did not cause harm to anyone else, he spoke up in the House of Lords debate on the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act. "This part of Part 5 introduces new definitions of obscene or extreme pornography, which cloud the agreement that generally has been reached in this country about what is obscene and what should be allowed ( read more... )
'Extreme concern' - new academic critique of extreme porn law
Feona Attwood and Clarissa Smith provide a measured critique of the ban on extreme pornography in a recent article for the Journal of Law and Society (currently available without library subscription) ( read more... )
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