UK Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Age Verifications, Yet VPN Usage Spikes, States Regulator
Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the UK has seen a notable drop after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has surged.
Immediate Drop in User Figures Following Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, including the most visited provider in the UK. Figures reveals 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, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Later data indicates this slump in viewing continued beyond August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks
Reacting to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can get around location-based restrictions by routing connections via another nation—surged after 25 July.
User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Harmful Material
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 included flagging the material to the site to blocking the user who posted it.
This research was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation
In a related development, the government announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations
Advocates for better regulation of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children.
Proposed amendments to government bills aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the crime of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
- Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and act on reports of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
