British Pornography Site Visits Declines After Age Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator
Traffic to pornography platforms in the UK has fallen significantly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications authority. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has surged.
Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt fall in traffic to major pornography sites, including the most visited provider in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent analysis suggests this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Checks
Reacting to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic restrictions by routing connections via another country—more than doubled after 25 July.
Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest numbers at around 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content
Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included reporting the material to the site to muting the person who posted it.
This survey was conducted before new rules came into force that require platforms to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the government stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age.
“The review will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Controls
Campaigners for better regulation of online pornography have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful performers dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings 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.
- Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
- Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, separate regulatory body to conduct inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the digital age.
