British Pornography Site Visits Falls After Age Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator
Traffic to adult content websites in the UK has seen a notable drop after the enforcement of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these restrictions has risen.
Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures After Law Enforcement
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift decline in visits to major online adult platforms, including the leading site in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than prior to the late July implementation date. Later analysis indicates this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions
Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can get around geographic restrictions by routing connections via another country—surged after 25 July.
Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that require social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law governing pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age.
“The examination will look into the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a government official.
Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Controls
Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults portraying children.
Proposed changes to government bills seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.
The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.
