An Australian teenage girl’s death, suspected to be caused by consensual choking during sex, has sparked renewed calls to ban such acts in porn. Despite such bans, the practice remains popular, with serious risks from sustained pressure on the throat. Researchers warn of blood clots, vision impairment and brain injuries, with some suggesting that porn normalises these dangerous activities. Critics argue that bans won’t stop the trend and instead hinder sexual education. In the UK, a ban on porn showing strangulation or suffocation has not yet been enforced, with its effectiveness uncertain. The data is alarming, with high rates of choking among college students, and researchers believe such content in mainstream porn influences young people.

A law professor notes that the ubiquity of such content in porn means many young people engage in these practices, believing they are normal. However, the ban on such content may lead to a new generation growing up with different ideas about what is acceptable in sex. The implications of such bans are complex and far-reaching.