UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Identity Verifications, But VPN Use Surges, States Regulator

Traffic to adult content sites in the UK has fallen significantly after the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has risen.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures After Rule Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt decline in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Subsequent analysis indicates this slump in viewing continued beyond August.

Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Checks

In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by routing internet traffic via another nation—surged after 25 July.

User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.

Teenagers Responding to Damaging Online Content

Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the material to the platform to muting the user who posted it.

This research was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, indicating that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age.

“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.

Campaigners Call For Stricter Online Regulations

Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by using young-looking adults portraying children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by platform systems.
• Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
• Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.