UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines Following Identity Verifications, But VPN Usage Surges, Reports Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the usage of specialist software designed to circumvent these barriers has increased.
Immediate Drop in User Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an swift reduction in visits to leading online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the ten 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 indicates this downward trend in viewing continued past August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Bypass Restrictions
Reacting to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing internet traffic through another country—increased dramatically following 25 July.
Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the verification began. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content online. Steps taken included flagging the material to the platform to muting the user who posted it.
This survey was carried out prior to new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the government stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world.
“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Stricter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using young-looking adults portraying children.
Suggested changes to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child.
- Apply stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create private images without permission.
- Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
