UK Porn Laws: What Is Legal in 2026
TL;DR: Viewing legal adult content is not a crime in the UK. The Online Safety Act requires age verification. AI content depicting fictional adult characters is generally legal. Extreme content remains illegal.
UK adult content law is a mix of old legislation and new regulation.
Viewing
Viewing legal adult content is not criminal for adults. Law targets production and distribution of illegal content.
Online Safety Act
Requires adult sites to implement age verification for UK visitors. Platform obligation, not user obligation.
AI Content
AI depicting fictional adult characters is generally legal. Must not depict characters appearing under 18.
What Is Illegal
Content depicting minors (real or fictional), extreme pornographic content under CJI Act 2008, non-consensual intimate images.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is watching porn illegal in UK?
No. Viewing legal adult content is not a criminal offence for adults.
Is AI porn legal in UK?
Generally yes for fictional adult characters. Must not appear under 18.
What porn is illegal in UK?
Content depicting minors, extreme content, non-consensual intimate images.