UK Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, Reports Watchdog
Access to adult content platforms in the UK has decreased markedly after the roll-out of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications authority. Concurrently, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these restrictions has surged.
Immediate Drop in Visitor Numbers After Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an prompt fall in traffic to popular pornography sites, such as the most visited site in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent data suggests this decline in site visits persisted beyond August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions
Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can get around location-based restrictions by masking connections through another nation—surged after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Material
In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the user who shared it.
This research was conducted prior to new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation
Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the modern online world.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Stricter Online Controls
Campaigners for tighter control of adult content have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested changes to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Introduce further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and respond to reports of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
