British Pornography Traffic Declines After Age Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, States Watchdog
Traffic to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these restrictions has increased.
Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an swift fall in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the leading site in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.
In total, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent analysis suggests this downward trend in site visits persisted beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Checks
In response to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections via another country—more than doubled after 25 July.
User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 people before the verification began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with current figures standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.
Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Material
Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to muting the person who posted it.
This research was conducted before new regulations came into force that require platforms to stop children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way young people came across such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
In a related development, the government announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.
Advocates Call For Stricter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter control of adult content have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children.
Proposed amendments to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.
