UK Pornography Traffic Falls Following Identity Checks, But VPN Usage Spikes, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the UK has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications regulator. Concurrently, the usage of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has risen.

Immediate Drop in Visitor Numbers Following Rule Implementation

The introduction of age verification on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Later analysis indicates this decline in site visits persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks

Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing internet traffic through another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July.

User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography services.

Young People Responding to Damaging Material

Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the site to muting the user who posted it.

This research was carried out prior to new rules came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material.

Ministers Launch Review of Pornography Legislation

In a related development, the government stated it would review the criminal law governing pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern online world.

“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.

Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Controls

Advocates for tighter 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 casting youthful adults dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to government bills seek to:

• Prohibit 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 include material where an adult plays the role of a child.
• Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site algorithms.
• Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.