British Adult Content Traffic Declines After Age Verifications, Yet VPN Use Spikes, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications watchdog. At the same time, the use of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has surged.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Numbers After Law Enforcement

The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an immediate reduction in traffic to leading pornography sites, such as the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

Overall, traffic to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent analysis indicates this slump in viewing continued past August.

Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing connections via another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July.

Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with current numbers standing at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services.

Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content

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. Actions ranged from flagging the content to the platform to blocking the user who posted it.

This survey was conducted before new regulations took effect that compel platforms to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws

In a related development, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern online world.

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.

Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Regulations

Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers portraying children.

Suggested amendments to legislation aim to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site systems.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, separate oversight agency to perform inspections on pornography sites and respond to reports of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.