UK Pornography Site Visits Declines Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Watchdog
Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the UK has fallen significantly after the roll-out of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has risen.
Sharp Fall in Visitor Numbers Following Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt fall in visits to major online adult platforms, including the most visited provider in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis suggests this slump in viewing persisted past August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Evade Checks
Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by masking connections through another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 users before the checks began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with current numbers at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content
Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the platform to muting the person who shared it.
This survey was conducted before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were serving harmful material.
Government Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the ministers announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to making illegal, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a government official.
Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Controls
Campaigners for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.
Proposed changes to legislation seek to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes recorded 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 controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to perform spot checks on pornography sites and respond to complaints of illegal content.
The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
