UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Age Verifications, But VPN Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog

Access to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has risen.

Sharp Drop in User Figures Following Rule Implementation

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift fall in visits to popular online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Figures indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Subsequent analysis shows this downward trend in viewing continued past August.

Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based restrictions by masking connections via another nation—surged following 25 July.

User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.

Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Online Content

In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing distressing content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the user who shared it.

This survey was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Laws

In a related development, the ministers stated it would review the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age.

“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.

Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Regulations

Campaigners for better control 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 adults dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to government bills aim to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of creating 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 heavily recommended by platform systems.
• Introduce further controls 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 perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content.

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