UK Pornography Site Visits Declines Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Surges, States Regulator
Access to adult content websites in the UK has seen a notable drop after the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these blocks has risen.
Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Rule Implementation
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate fall in traffic to major pornography sites, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks
In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based blocks by routing internet traffic through another country—increased dramatically following 25 July.
Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
In other findings, the regulator's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content online. Actions included flagging the content to the site to muting the user who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new rules took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.
Government Launch Review of Pornography Laws
In a related development, the government announced it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Push For Tighter Online Controls
Advocates for better regulation of online pornography have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site systems.
- Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
