UK Adult Content Traffic Falls After Age Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator

Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the UK has seen a notable drop after the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications authority. Concurrently, the use of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has increased.

Immediate Drop in Visitor Numbers Following Law Implementation

The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift fall in visits to popular online adult platforms, such as the leading site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.

Overall, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this downward trend in site visits persisted past August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Restrictions

Reacting to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can bypass location-based restrictions by masking internet traffic via another country—increased dramatically after 25 July.

User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Teenagers Responding to Damaging Online Content

Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to blocking the user who posted it.

This survey was conducted before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Review of Adult Content Laws

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

“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.

Campaigners Push For Stricter Digital Regulations

Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by using youthful performers portraying children.

Suggested amendments to government bills seek to:

• Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
• Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
• Create a new, separate regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on complaints of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the digital age.