🔗 Share this article UK Adult Content Traffic Declines After Age Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications regulator. At the same time, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has risen. Sharp Drop in User Figures After Rule Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate fall in visits to popular online adult platforms, including the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in site visits persisted past August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures 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 Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken included flagging the content to the platform to blocking the user who posted it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Stricter Online Controls Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Proposed amendments to legislation aim to: Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site systems. Introduce further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.
Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications regulator. At the same time, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has risen. Sharp Drop in User Figures After Rule Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate fall in visits to popular online adult platforms, including the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in site visits persisted past August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures 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 Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken included flagging the content to the platform to blocking the user who posted it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Stricter Online Controls Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have called on the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Proposed amendments to legislation aim to: Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site systems. Introduce further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.