UK Pornography Site Visits Declines After Age Checks, But VPN Use Spikes, States Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to bypass these blocks has risen.
Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an immediate fall in visits to major online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this slump in site visits persisted past August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks
Reacting to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic blocks by masking internet traffic through another country—more than doubled after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current figures at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the user who posted it.
This research was carried out before new regulations came into force that require social media companies to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way young people came across such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing online world.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Stricter Online Controls
Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by using young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in environments 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.
- Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of illegal content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
