British Pornography Traffic Declines After Identity Checks, But VPN Use Surges, Reports Watchdog
Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has increased.
Immediate Drop in User Figures After Law Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In total, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July deadline. Later data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted beyond August.
Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions
Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass location-based restrictions by routing connections via another country—surged after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the verification began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current numbers at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.
Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing harmful content on the internet. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it.
This survey was conducted before new rules took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.
Government Announce Review of Adult Content Legislation
Separately, the government announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.
Advocates Push For Tighter Online Regulations
Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by using young-looking performers dressed as children.
Proposed amendments to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Add additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally apply to the digital age.
