🔗 Share this article British Pornography Traffic Declines After Identity Verifications, Yet VPN Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these blocks has surged. Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an prompt fall in visits to major pornography sites, including the leading site in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this decline in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic blocks by routing internet traffic via another country—increased dramatically following 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult sites. Young People Responding to Damaging Material Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Announce Examination of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age. “The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a government official. Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Controls Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children. Proposed changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking 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. Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site algorithms. Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop since the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these blocks has surged. Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an prompt fall in visits to major pornography sites, including the leading site in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this decline in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic blocks by routing internet traffic via another country—increased dramatically following 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult sites. Young People Responding to Damaging Material Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Announce Examination of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age. “The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a government official. Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Controls Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children. Proposed changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking 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. Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site algorithms. Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.