UK Pornography Site Visits Falls After Age Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Watchdog
Traffic to adult content platforms in the UK has decreased markedly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the usage of specialist software designed to bypass these restrictions has risen.
Immediate Fall in User Figures After Rule Implementation
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an prompt reduction in traffic to popular pornography sites, including the most visited site in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Checks
In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by masking connections through another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content
Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content online. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it.
This survey was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material.
Government Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Regulations
Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to government bills seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of making an indecent image of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site systems.
- Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of illegal content.
The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for years offline finally apply to the online sphere.