Stop the Government's
Censorship

The Home Office has begun a process to make it illegal to possess extreme adult images.

These plans could lead to people being imprisoned for viewing images on the internet.

This is a step too far from a government determined to regulate every aspect of our lives and quash individual expression.

backlash needs cash ! Please help by donating

Backlash is the campaigning organisation bringing together individuals and activist groups to oppose this legislation.

Who we are
1. Backlash brings together various groups and individuals opposed to the Home Office's consultation paper on so-called "extreme pornographic material" which proposes making illegal the possession of images of acts which they consider "abhorrent" or to have "no place in society".
2. These groups represent tens of thousands of British people and are working together to oppose the proposals.

Why we oppose the proposed law
3. The Home Office admits in its consultation document that there is no evidence that demonstrates a link between the type of material under discussion and unlawful activity. We agree.
4. It does not propose to punish the acts themselves, but wishes to make the simple possession of images of certain sexual fantasies subject to a maximum term of 3 years imprisonment. It will deny people the right to make up their own minds about what is acceptable.
5. What consenting adults look at or do in their own homes is not any concern of the State. These proposals would infringe the civil liberties and protected freedoms of law-abiding people.
6. Law enforcement agencies around the world already have powers to prevent and punish actual crimes that have taken place through existing legislation. We condemn any acts where the participants did not give their consent. Viewers should not be penalised for looking at fantasy images of consenting actors.
7. The consultation document suggests that banning the possession of such images might have an appreciable effect on supply or demand but fails to advance any arguments or evidence that this is so. We believe that the evidence is to the contrary. Imprisonment of those who look at such images will not remove the images from the internet nor protect children from them. What you can do
8. We believe that adults can make up their own minds about what they view in private, even if those things may be distasteful to others. Backlash urges anyone who thinks that it is not the business of the state to criminalise the possession of images that the government considers to be "abhorrent", to contact their MP, stating their objections to these proposals.