🔗 Share this article UK Pornography Site Visits Falls After Age Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Watchdog Access to pornography platforms in the UK has decreased markedly since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has surged. Immediate Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate decline in visits to major online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the ten top 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 viewing continued beyond August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services. Young People Taking Action to Damaging Online Content In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content on the internet. Actions included reporting the material to the site to muting the person who posted it. This survey was conducted prior to new regulations came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Review of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a government official. Advocates Push For Tighter Online Regulations Advocates for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to government bills aim to: Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
Access to pornography platforms in the UK has decreased markedly since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications regulator. At the same time, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has surged. Immediate Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate decline in visits to major online adult platforms, including the top provider in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the ten top 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 viewing continued beyond August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography services. Young People Taking Action to Damaging Online Content In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content on the internet. Actions included reporting the material to the site to muting the person who posted it. This survey was conducted prior to new regulations came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Review of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a government official. Advocates Push For Tighter Online Regulations Advocates for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to government bills aim to: Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of illegal content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for years in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.