British Pornography Traffic Falls Following Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, Reports Regulator
Access to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the enforcement of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has increased.
Sharp Drop in User Figures After Law Enforcement
The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate fall in visits to popular pornography sites, including the most visited provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In total, traffic to the ten top adult services in the UK have now settled at a “lower level” than prior to the late July implementation date. Later data shows this slump in viewing persisted beyond August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Checks
In response to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections via another nation—increased dramatically after 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.
Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who posted it.
This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Government Launch Review of Adult Content Laws
Separately, the government announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.
“The review will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to making illegal, among other things, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a government official.
Advocates Push For Stricter Digital Controls
Advocates for better control of adult content have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote abuse by using youthful adults portraying children.
Proposed changes to legislation aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
- Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create private images without permission.
- Create a new, independent oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content.
The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the online sphere.
