British Pornography Site Visits Falls After Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Regulator
Access to adult content sites in the UK has fallen significantly since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has surged.
Immediate Fall in User Figures Following Rule Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an swift reduction in visits to popular pornography sites, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 top adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this downward trend in viewing persisted past August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Restrictions
In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based restrictions by routing internet traffic via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography services.
Young People Responding to Damaging Material
In other findings, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it.
This research was conducted before new rules came into force that require social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the government stated it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.
“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Advocates Call For Tighter Online Regulations
Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have called on 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 portraying children.
Proposed changes to legislation aim to:
- Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child.
- Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site algorithms.
- Introduce additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
