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UK government faces action over lack of age checks on adult sites

Judicial review proceedings claim government is breaching duty to protect children from pornography
Lawyers have begun judicial review proceedings against the government over allegations it failed to stop children in the UK watching online pornography.
Age verification for legal pornography sites was introduced under part 3 of the Digital Economy Act in 2017 but the government never enforced it.
Ministers have said the planned online harms bill will instead protect children by placing a burden on internet providers to protect users from “harms” including viewing pornography while under age.
But critics point out that this bill is currently only at white paper stage with no current date to bring it before parliament.
Paul Conrathe, solicitor with Sinclairslaw, is bringing the legal action on the basis that children are being harmed currently by the lack of age verification, in direct breach of the government’s legal duty to protect them.
Conrathe told the Guardian: “The government have sought to frustrate the clear will of parliament to protect children from online harm.
“In the meantime, the ease with which those under 18 can access extreme pornographic material online is having significant negative impacts on thousands of children every day. This includes teenage girls suffering sexual harassment at school.”
“On any view it is likely to be at least another two years before any new online safety act takes effect, it may be longer.
“Five years is a very long time in the life of a teenager for whom the prevalence of online pornography is having an effect on a daily basis.”
When he was culture secretary, Matt Hancock promised that coming online harms legislation would make the UK “the safest place in the world to be online”.
Ava Vakil is one of the claimants in the judicial review proceedings. She is a student and activist involved in raising the issue of sexual violence among teenagers.
She said: “From my experience looking at sexual violence in schools, young people’s first experience with sex is increasingly pornography that often glorifies extreme violence against women.
“An 11-year-old can’t go to the cinema and watch an 18 film but with more ease, no ticket they can see incredibly harmful material on their phone or a friend’s phone.
“It shouldn’t be bold or controversial to say children should not have complete and unfettered access to violent sexual imagery.”
The other claimant is 52-year-old father of four Ioannis Dekas, who is arguing that it is difficult to help his sons grow into men who respect women when they have so much access to violent imagery.
He said: “I take responsibility as a parent but porn is harming our young people. There are times they have accessed it despite our efforts to safeguard and protect them.”
A survey from City, University of London found that four in five UK 16- and 17-year-olds have seen online pornography – most commonly having watched it on the day of the survey.
The survey of 1,000 16‐ and 17‐year‐olds found that many were watching pornography on social media sites but it was more frequently viewed on pornographic websites.
One of the arguments for not introducing age verification as proposed was because it would not cover social media sites.
Dr Neil Thurman led the survey. He said the results showed the importance of implementing legislation urgently rather than waiting any longer.
“Young people’s visits to porn sites we found to be surprisingly frequent, with the majority having viewed pornography on the day of the survey.
“Given the frequency with which our research shows dedicated porn websites are viewed by 16- and 17-year-olds, waiting for the online harms bill to come into force certainly carries risks, allowing adolescents to continue to regularly access online content that is problematic in many ways.”
source: Harriet Grant
Levant
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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