British Adult Content Site Visits Falls After Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Watchdog
Traffic to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop after the enforcement of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the use of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has risen.
Sharp Drop in User Numbers Following Law Enforcement
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an swift fall in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the ten top adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data shows this slump in viewing continued past August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks
Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking internet traffic through another country—surged after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users before the verification began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.
Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the user who shared it.
This survey was carried out before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Regulations
Advocates for better control of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by using young-looking performers dressed as children.
Suggested changes to legislation seek to:
- Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
- Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
