UK Pornography Site Visits Declines Following Age Verifications, But VPN Usage Spikes, States Watchdog
Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has surged.
Sharp Fall in User Numbers Following Law Implementation
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt decline in traffic to major online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this downward trend in site visits continued past August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Checks
Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based blocks by masking connections through another nation—more than doubled after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography services.
Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the regulator's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Actions included reporting the material to the platform to muting the person who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new rules took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a social media timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material.
Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Laws
In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age.
“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Controls
Advocates for better regulation of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful performers portraying children.
Proposed changes to government bills seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child.
- Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
- Introduce further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Create a new, separate oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to complaints of illegal content.
The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.
