UK Adult Content Traffic Falls After Age Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator
Access to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications authority. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has risen.
Sharp Drop in User Numbers Following Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to major pornography sites, including the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers 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 ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in site visits persisted past August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Evade Checks
In response to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based restrictions by masking connections through another nation—surged following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites.
Teenagers Responding to Damaging Material
Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the site to muting the user who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to prevent children from seeing harmful content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Laws
Separately, the government announced it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a government official.
Advocates Push For Stricter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using youthful performers portraying children.
Suggested changes to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to conduct inspections on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally apply to the online sphere.
