🔗 Share this article British Adult Content Traffic Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet VPN Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly since the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these blocks has risen. Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Law Implementation The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this slump in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks began. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content online. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it. This survey 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 teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age. “The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Push For Stricter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by using young-looking adults portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms. Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally apply to the digital age.
Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly since the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these blocks has risen. Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Law Implementation The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this slump in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks began. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content online. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it. This survey 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 teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age. “The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Push For Stricter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by using young-looking adults portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms. Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally apply to the digital age.