UK Pornography Site Visits Declines After Age Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, Reports Regulator

Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the nation's communications authority. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has increased.

Immediate Fall in User Figures After Rule Implementation

The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an prompt reduction in visits to major pornography sites, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Later data suggests this slump in viewing persisted past August.

Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks

In response to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic blocks by masking internet traffic via another nation—surged following 25 July.

User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Young People Responding to Damaging Material

In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content online. Actions included reporting the material to the platform to muting the person who shared it.

This research was conducted prior to new rules took effect that require platforms to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws

Separately, the government announced it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world.

“The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.

Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations

Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site systems.
• Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to generate private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of unlawful content.

The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.