UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Watchdog
Access to pornography websites in the UK has seen a notable drop after the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications authority. At the same time, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these restrictions has risen.
Sharp Drop in User Numbers After Rule Enforcement
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an immediate fall in traffic to major pornography sites, including the top provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.
In total, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Later data suggests this decline in site visits continued past August.
Surge in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions
In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can get around geographic blocks by masking connections via another country—surged following 25 July.
User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.
Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content
In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content online. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it.
This research was carried out before new rules took effect that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Government Launch Review of Pornography Legislation
Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.
Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Controls
Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.
Proposed changes to legislation seek to:
- Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
- Introduce tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
- Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.
The campaigners argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.