UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator

Traffic to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the nation's communications watchdog. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to dodge these blocks has risen.

Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an swift fall in traffic to popular pornography sites, including the leading site in the UK. Figures indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this decline in viewing persisted beyond August.

Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can get around geographic blocks by masking connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Teenagers Responding to Damaging Material

In other findings, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content on the internet. Actions ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the person who posted it.

This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that require social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

Separately, the government announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.

“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.

Advocates Push For Stricter Digital Controls

Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children.

Proposed amendments to government bills aim to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child.
• Apply stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site algorithms.
• Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.

The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.