UK Adult Content Traffic Declines After Identity Verifications, But VPN Use Spikes, States Regulator

Access to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has surged.

Immediate Fall in Visitor Numbers After Law Enforcement

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an immediate reduction in traffic to major online adult platforms, such as the top provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data shows this decline in site visits continued beyond August.

Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Evade Restrictions

Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can get around location-based restrictions by masking connections through another nation—more than doubled following 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.

Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content on the internet. Steps taken included flagging the content to the platform to blocking the person who posted it.

This survey was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including 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 inappropriate material.

Government Announce Examination of Pornography Laws

In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.

“The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” stated a government official.

Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Regulations

Campaigners for better regulation of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include 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 site systems.
• Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content.

The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.