UK Adult Content Traffic Declines After Age Verifications, Yet VPN Usage Surges, States Regulator

Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the introduction of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the adoption of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has surged.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures Following Law Implementation

The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to major online adult platforms, such as the top provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

Overall, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August.

Surge in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July.

User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.

Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material

In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to blocking the person who shared it.

This research was carried out before new rules took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, suggesting that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

In a related development, the government announced it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.

“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.

Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content 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 adults portraying children.

Proposed amendments to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform systems.
• Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software 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 illegal content.

The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.