British Pornography Traffic Declines After Age Verifications, But VPN Usage Spikes, States Regulator
Traffic to adult content websites in the UK has fallen significantly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the usage of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has surged.
Sharp Fall in Visitor Numbers After Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an swift decline in visits to major pornography sites, including the leading provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In total, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the late July implementation date. Later analysis shows this slump in site visits continued beyond August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Restrictions
In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic blocks by masking connections via another country—surged after 25 July.
User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content
Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content online. Actions ranged from reporting the material to the site to muting the user who shared it.
This research was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Government Announce Review of Adult Content Laws
In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age.
“The review will look into the effectiveness of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Controls
Advocates for better control of adult content have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking adults portraying children.
Suggested amendments to legislation seek to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform systems.
- Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.
The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
