British Pornography Traffic Declines Following Age Verifications, Yet VPN Use Spikes, States Watchdog
Access to adult content sites in the UK has fallen significantly since the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has risen.
Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures After Rule Implementation
The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an swift fall in visits to leading pornography sites, including the top site in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this downward trend in site visits persisted beyond August.
Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions
In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections via another country—increased dramatically after 25 July.
User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it.
This survey was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws
Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.
“The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Regulations
Advocates for better regulation of adult content have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children.
Suggested changes to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in settings 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 regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site algorithms.
- Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to create private images without permission.
- Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform spot checks on pornography sites and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
