ATVOD highlights adult record

UK video-on-demand regulator ATVOD has highlighted its role in limiting the availability of hardcore adult services.

According to ATVOD, it has investigated over 20 porn services over the last few months, including seeing the shut down of video site Bootybox.tv after it failed to comply with an enforcement notification requiring it to remove offending content or put it behind effective access controls.

ATVOD said it had investigated 23 other adult services and found 13 to be in breach of statutory rules that hardcore porn should not be accessible by those under 18.

ATVOD said that two of the services found to be in breach had closed down and seven had complied with access control requirements. The remaining four had been referred to Ofcom, as ‘back-stop’ VOD regulator, which has the power to fine or suspend services.

ATVOD’s detailing of its record followed Ofcom’s decision to confirm the existing regulatory framework for VOD services until 2020 and to give ATVOD some additional powers.