UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. At the same time, the use of tools designed to dodge these blocks has risen.

Immediate Fall in User Figures After Law Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate reduction in traffic to major online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this platform in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Later data shows this decline in site visits persisted past August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Checks

In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.

User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material

In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing harmful content online. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to blocking the person who posted it.

This survey was conducted prior to new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Announce Examination of Adult Content Laws

In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.

“The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.

Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Controls

Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to government bills aim to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Introduce tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform systems.
• Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
• Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content.

The advocates argue that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the online sphere.