UK Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Age Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Surges, States Regulator
Access to pornography platforms in the UK has decreased markedly since the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to circumvent these barriers has risen.
Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate decline in traffic to major pornography sites, including the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data suggests this downward trend in site visits continued beyond August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions
In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based restrictions by masking connections via another country—increased dramatically following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the regulator stated 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 services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the platform to muting the person who posted it.
This survey was carried out before new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving harmful material.
Ministers Launch Review of Pornography Laws
Separately, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.
“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using youthful performers portraying children.
Proposed amendments to legislation aim to:
- Ban pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform systems.
- Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of illegal content.
The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the digital age.
