Protection of Children Act 1978

The Protection of Children Act 1978 makes it a criminal offence to take, possess or show an indecent photograph (which includes filming for television) of a minor under the age of 18 and even to involve a minor in a photograph or television image that is itself indecent, even where the child's role in it is not central. To broadcast an image where a child's picture had been superimposed onto a pornographic image would be an offence. This also means that in drama, any actors that are required to be filmed in scenes of an explicit sexual nature must be aged at least 18, regardless of the age of the character they are playing.