🔗 Share this article British Pornography Traffic Declines Following Age Checks, Yet VPN Use Spikes, Reports Regulator Access to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to dodge these barriers has risen. Sharp Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to popular online adult platforms, including the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. In total, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Subsequent analysis indicates this decline in viewing continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking connections through another nation—surged following 25 July. Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites. Teenagers Responding to Damaging Material In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included flagging the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a government official. Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of making an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child. Introduce stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms. Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
Access to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to dodge these barriers has risen. Sharp Fall in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in traffic to popular online adult platforms, including the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. In total, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Subsequent analysis indicates this decline in viewing continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by masking connections through another nation—surged following 25 July. Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from approximately 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest numbers standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites. Teenagers Responding to Damaging Material In other findings, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken included flagging the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age. “The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a government official. Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Controls Campaigners for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms. Extend the offence of making an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult plays the role of a child. Introduce stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms. Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.