UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Age Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Surges, Reports Watchdog
Traffic to pornography websites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. Concurrently, the usage of specialist software designed to bypass these barriers has risen.
Immediate Drop in User Figures Following Law Implementation
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in visits to popular online adult platforms, including the top site in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this decline in site visits continued past August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks
In response to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based blocks by masking internet traffic through another country—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material
In other findings, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Actions included flagging the content to the site to muting the user who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the government stated it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Online Controls
Campaigners for better regulation of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults portraying children.
Suggested amendments to legislation seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site systems.
- Add additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, separate oversight agency to conduct inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of unlawful content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
