British Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Age Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Regulator
Traffic to pornography sites in the UK has fallen significantly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these barriers has surged.
Sharp Drop in User Numbers After Law Implementation
The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an prompt reduction in visits to leading pornography sites, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data indicates that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 top adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the late July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this slump in viewing continued beyond August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Restrictions
Reacting to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can bypass location-based restrictions by masking internet traffic via another nation—surged following 25 July.
Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people before the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content on the internet. Steps taken included flagging the content to the platform to muting the user who posted it.
This research was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Government Announce Examination of Adult Content Laws
In a related development, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world.
“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.
Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Regulations
Campaigners for better regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.
Proposed changes to government bills seek to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to create private images without permission.
- Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
