Restrictions on the internet access to pornography in the interest of children : legal issues from the perspective of EU law

It shall not be doubtful that pornography is very detrimental particularly for children. As a consequence children shall be protected against pornography in the Internet. However, introduction of the legal provisions on blocking the Internet access to pornography in the interest of children results in a number of problematic issues, such as collision with economic rights (EU internal market freedoms) or freedom of speech. The analysis carried out in the article results in a conclusion that introduction of such restrictions is nevertheless legally possible and reasoned. It is also pointed out that because at the time being the EU does not intend to adopt appropriate legally binding measures, it is for national legislators to confront the problem. The question is therefore not if access shall be restricted, but how to do it, in particular, whether it shall be restricted on the basis of normative regulation or on the basis of self-regulation.