UK Adult Content Traffic Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, Reports Regulator

Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the UK has seen a notable drop since the enforcement of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications authority. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to dodge these blocks has risen.

Sharp Drop in User Figures After Law Implementation

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt decline in visits to leading pornography sites, including the leading provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, visitor numbers to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this decline in viewing continued past August.

Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by routing internet traffic through another country—more than doubled following 25 July.

Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users before the verification began. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.

Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from flagging the material to the site to muting the user who posted it.

This research was carried out before new rules came into force that require platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that recommendation systems 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 consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a government official.

Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Controls

Campaigners for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by site systems.
• Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
• Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform spot checks on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

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