UK Adult Content Site Visits Falls After Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Regulator

Traffic to pornography websites in the UK has decreased markedly after the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications authority. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has surged.

Sharp Fall in Visitor Numbers Following Rule Implementation

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in visits to major online adult platforms, including the top site 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.

In total, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the late July deadline. Subsequent data suggests this slump in viewing persisted past August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based blocks by routing connections via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.

Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with current figures standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included reporting the material to the platform to blocking the person who shared it.

This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

In a related development, the government stated it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.

“The review will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.

Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.

Suggested changes to government bills seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in settings 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 regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
• Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate regulatory body to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content.

The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.