British Pornography Traffic Falls Following Age Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. At the same time, the usage of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has increased.
Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift decline in visits to popular online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data indicates that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 top adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the late July implementation date. Later analysis suggests this decline in viewing continued beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions
In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking connections via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the verification were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites.
Young People Taking Action to Damaging Material
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content online. Steps taken included flagging the material to the site to muting the user who posted it.
This survey was conducted before new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the ministers stated it would review the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern online world.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a government official.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter control of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by using young-looking performers dressed as children.
Suggested changes to legislation seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site systems.
- Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
