The proposals were criticised by journalists and pressure groups.
Under the plan, newspapers containing offending material would carry a mark on every page, and the sale of such papers to people under 18 could be restricted.
The Newspaper Society said it backed consultation on the proposals because it was obvious the obscene content of some newspapers had become a public concern.
But Chris Yeung, the group's representative and associate editor of the South China Morning Post, said there was already a law to tackle the publication of obscene material.
'I'm doubtful about the effectiveness of some of the proposals to curb porn material, such as the labelling identification system.
'I don't think readers now have real difficulty in identifying which newspapers carry indecent content. People buy what they like to read,' he said.
