British Pornography Traffic Falls Following Identity Checks, But VPN Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog
Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the introduction of age-checking measures this summer, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has increased.
Immediate Drop in User Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an swift reduction in traffic to major online adult platforms, including the top site in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent data shows this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August.
Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks
In response to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can get around geographic blocks by routing connections via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Material
Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who posted it.
This survey was carried out prior to new rules came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were showing harmful material.
Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the government stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is effective in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a government official.
Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Regulations
Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to legislation aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
- Add further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Establish a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The advocates argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
