British Pornography Traffic Falls After Age Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, Reports Watchdog
Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the usage of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has increased.
Sharp Drop in Visitor Numbers After Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this slump in viewing persisted beyond August.
Surge 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 after 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the regulator's annual study found 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 site to muting the user who posted it.
This survey was carried out before new rules took effect that require social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material.
Government Launch Review of Pornography Laws
Separately, the government stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Regulations
Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults 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.
- Extend the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by site systems.
- Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
