British Pornography Traffic Declines After Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, Reports Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has risen.
Sharp Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift fall in traffic to popular pornography sites, including the most visited provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July implementation date. Subsequent analysis suggests this decline in site visits continued past August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions
Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can get around location-based blocks by masking internet traffic via another nation—surged after 25 July.
Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it.
This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material.
Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, among other things, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a government official.
Campaigners Push For Stricter Online Controls
Advocates for better control of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by using young-looking performers dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform systems.
- Introduce additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on reports of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years offline finally apply to the digital age.
