UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Identity Checks, But VPN Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator
Traffic to pornography platforms in the UK has decreased markedly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the usage of tools designed to bypass these restrictions has risen.
Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent analysis indicates this slump in viewing continued beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Restrictions
In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking internet traffic through another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July.
Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users prior to the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the material to the platform to blocking the person who shared it.
This survey was carried out before new rules took effect that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.
Government Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the government announced it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern online world.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Regulations
Advocates for better control of online pornography have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested changes to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of making an indecent image 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 heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to generate private images without permission.
- Establish a new, separate regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.