UK Pornography Traffic Declines Following Age Checks, Yet VPN Use Surges, States Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the UK has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to circumvent these barriers has risen.
Immediate Fall in User Figures Following Law Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in visits to leading online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this platform in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this downward trend in viewing continued past August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Restrictions
Reacting to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can bypass geographic blocks by routing internet traffic through another country—increased dramatically after 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it.
This survey was carried out before new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that recommendation systems were serving harmful material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the government announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Controls
Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children.
Suggested changes to government bills seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site systems.
- Add further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to generate private images without permission.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
