As parts of the U.S. seem to be up in arms about their Government spying on their own citizens, the U.K.’s Government has also decided to target their citizens, with a ban on Internet Pornography. The ban, to be in place by the end of 2014, forces the public to “Opt In” for adult online content through their ISP, putting you on a list within a government office and removing the privacy one may have within the confines of their own home. This has sparked an outlash within the free speech and libertarian movements citing the infringement of human rights, as this would be the first modernized country to take a stance against pornography, an action that will have huge implications over time.

I am sure that the British Prime Minister doesn’t know this, but pornography has been the biggest force behind the advancement of technology for the past 200 years, from the camera, to the telephone, from the cinema, to the VCR. The Internet has been no different. It is suggested that one third of all Internet traffic is related to pornography and sex, which is a staggering number, and with the readability of content the task of blocking all content will be a daunting one within itself. But, as prohibition of anything just creates an underground black market for those in search of what they crave, one must wonder how the Internet pirates and content providers from around the world are looking at this ban.

For one, adult content has become over saturated in recent years. Online adult content can be found easier then a taxi in New York City, and restrictions on content will only be a thing that high profile content providers such as Vivid and Brazzers will embrace. Their content is some of the highest standard within the industry, and as free online content begins to get blocked, the demand for paid DVD or On Demand content will rise, and so will their profit margins.

Further more, a successful filter will only force the advancement of online privacy tools such as Internet protocol spoofing, domain name system changing and virtual private networks. This technology will only get cheaper and more advanced as millions of online users turn to it to provide a safe and secretive way to access the content they demand. The general public will begin to find out about this technology and the pornography community will not be the only underground community to embrace it. The ban and demand on pornography will advance the technology, but the technology will seep into other communities, such as those wanting to keep secrets from their own government. The tech will become cheap and affordable for anyone to embrace and it will become easier to keep a secret from the NSA.

As time moves forward, we will see how this ban will change the landscape of the online world, for better or for worse. Until then, if you find Internet filters blocking access to the adult content you crave, check out our blog on how to get around Internet Filters.