British Pornography Traffic Falls After Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, States Watchdog
Access to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, according to the country's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these restrictions has surged.
Immediate Fall in User Numbers After Law Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate fall in traffic to leading online adult platforms, including the leading provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this platform in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than prior to the late July implementation date. Subsequent analysis shows this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks
In response to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing connections through another nation—increased dramatically after 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult services.
Young People Taking Action to Damaging Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content online. Actions included reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who posted it.
This survey was carried out before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Review of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the ministers stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.
“The examination will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Stricter Digital Controls
Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested changes to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
- Add further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create private images without permission.
- 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 in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
