UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet VPN Usage Surges, Reports Regulator
Traffic to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications authority. At the same time, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has surged.
Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures After Law Implementation
The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the leading provider in the UK. Data indicates that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the late July deadline. Later analysis suggests this slump in site visits continued beyond August.
Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Checks
Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by routing connections via another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the checks were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Online Content
In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it.
This research was conducted prior to new regulations came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material.
Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.
Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Controls
Advocates for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.
Proposed amendments to government bills seek to:
- Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Apply tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform algorithms.
- Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, separate regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
