UK Pornography Site Visits Declines Following Identity Checks, But VPN Usage Surges, Reports Regulator
Traffic to adult content sites in the UK has decreased markedly after the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these barriers has surged.
Immediate Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an swift reduction in visits to major pornography sites, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.
In total, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this decline in viewing continued past August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions
In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking internet traffic via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content online. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to muting the person who shared it.
This research was conducted prior to new rules took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.
Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the ministers announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Controls
Campaigners for better regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.
Proposed changes to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms.
- Add additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to generate private images without permission.
- Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content.
The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally apply to the online sphere.
