British Adult Content Traffic Falls After Identity Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. At the same time, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these blocks has increased.

Sharp Drop in User Numbers Following Rule Implementation

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift reduction in traffic to popular pornography sites, including the leading site in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the end-of-July deadline. Later data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks

In response to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can get around geographic blocks by routing internet traffic through another nation—surged following 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 people before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.

Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Material

In other findings, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Actions ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the person who shared it.

This research was conducted before new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way young people came across such content was by scrolling through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Laws

In a related development, the government announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.

“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.

Campaigners Push For Stricter Digital Controls

Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting young-looking performers portraying children.

Suggested amendments to government bills aim to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site systems.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate regulatory body to perform inspections on adult platforms and act on reports of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally apply to the online sphere.