Porn Ban Causes Controversy: Students Approve, MPs Object

The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has proposed an idea of banning porn from people underage. Members of the Independence Party and the Pirate Party oppose the ban, but many students are in favor of it, reports Vísir.

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The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture is working on blocking the access of pornographic materials from children under the age of eighteen. This would be done by requiring an electronic ID when accessing porn.

Unrestricted access to pornography is considered to be one of the main reasons why the number of porn viewers has exploded in recent years, especially among young boys.

The plan has been criticized by many members of Parliament. According to them, the ban is unrealistic, and the methods are considered wrong.

Berglind Ósk Guðmundsdóttir, a member of the Independence Party, thinks that this type of a ban would not work. She says that it is education and discussion about sex and consent that is needed, not bans.

However, there seems to be a gap between the Parliament and many young people. Most of the students at Hagaskóli who were interviewed by Vísir think that banning porn would be a good thing.

“I think it is a positive thing, because porn can cause a distorted picture of what sex is for young people, but I don’t know if the ban would stop everyone from watching it,” says Helena from 10th grade. Her classmate Lúkas Ingvar agrees.

The idea is not dissimilar to a 2013 proposal, which never made it out of committee, to erect some kind of “porn firewall” around the entire country. That idea ended proving unfeasible and was ultimately scrapped.