🔗 Share this article British Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, States Regulator Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the UK has decreased markedly after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these restrictions has surged. Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an swift decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted past August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections through another country—increased dramatically after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the verification were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites. Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Material In other findings, the regulator'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 ranged from flagging the content to the platform to muting the person who posted it. This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation Separately, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age. “The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Push For Tighter Online Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms. Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the UK has decreased markedly after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these restrictions has surged. Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an swift decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted past August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing connections through another country—increased dramatically after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the verification were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites. Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Material In other findings, the regulator'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 ranged from flagging the content to the platform to muting the person who posted it. This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation Separately, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age. “The review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Advocates Push For Tighter Online Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms. Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.