🔗 Share this article UK Adult Content Traffic Declines Following Identity Verifications, But VPN Use Surges, Reports Regulator Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the usage of specialist software designed to bypass these barriers has increased. Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024. Overall, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this downward trend in viewing persisted past August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by routing connections through another nation—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with current figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites. Young People Responding to Damaging Material In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Review of Adult Content Laws In a related development, the government stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Regulations Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers portraying children. Suggested changes to government bills aim to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site systems. Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission. Establish a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years offline finally apply to the online sphere.
Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the usage of specialist software designed to bypass these barriers has increased. Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024. Overall, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this downward trend in viewing persisted past August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by routing connections through another nation—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with current figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites. Young People Responding to Damaging Material In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing distressing content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Review of Adult Content Laws In a related development, the government stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Regulations Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers portraying children. Suggested changes to government bills aim to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site systems. Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission. Establish a new, independent oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years offline finally apply to the online sphere.