🔗 Share this article UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator Traffic to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has risen. Sharp Fall in User Figures After Rule Enforcement The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift reduction in visits to major pornography sites, including the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in viewing persisted past August. Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic blocks by routing internet traffic via another country—more than doubled after 25 July. Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography services. Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the person who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister. Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children. Proposed changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child. Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, separate regulatory body to conduct inspections on adult platforms and act on reports of unlawful content. The campaigners argue that these steps would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
Traffic to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has risen. Sharp Fall in User Figures After Rule Enforcement The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift reduction in visits to major pornography sites, including the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in viewing persisted past August. Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic blocks by routing internet traffic via another country—more than doubled after 25 July. Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography services. Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the person who shared it. This research was conducted prior to new regulations took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would review the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to making illegal, among other things, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister. Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children. Proposed changes to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child. Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, separate regulatory body to conduct inspections on adult platforms and act on reports of unlawful content. The campaigners argue that these steps would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.