UK Adult Content Traffic Declines Following Age Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator
Traffic to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the enforcement of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications authority. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these restrictions has risen.
Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Rule Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to major pornography sites, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers 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, 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 analysis indicates this decline in site visits persisted past August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Restrictions
Reacting to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based blocks by routing connections via another country—increased dramatically after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 people prior to the verification began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content
In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content online. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the user who shared it.
This research was carried out before new rules took effect that require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material.
Government Launch Examination of Pornography Laws
Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern online world.
“The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, among other things, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Push For Stricter Online Controls
Campaigners for better regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.
Proposed changes to government bills aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms.
- Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content.
The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.