🔗 Share this article UK Pornography Site Visits Declines After Identity Checks, Yet VPN Use Surges, Reports Watchdog Access to pornography sites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has surged. Sharp Fall in Visitor Numbers Following Rule Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to major pornography sites, including the leading provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decrease 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 settled at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this decline in site visits continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based restrictions by masking connections through another country—increased dramatically after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material. Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world. “The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Campaigners Push For Stricter 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 simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site systems. Add additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally are extended to the digital age.
Access to pornography sites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these blocks has surged. Sharp Fall in Visitor Numbers Following Rule Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to major pornography sites, including the leading provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decrease 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 settled at a significantly reduced level than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this decline in site visits continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based restrictions by masking connections through another country—increased dramatically after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. However, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material. Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern online world. “The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister. Campaigners Push For Stricter 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 simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Suggested changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer acts the part of a child. Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site systems. Add additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years offline finally are extended to the digital age.