UK Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Age Verifications, Yet VPN Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator

Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the UK has fallen significantly after the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. At the same time, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these restrictions has increased.

Sharp Fall in User Figures Following Law Enforcement

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift fall in visits to major pornography sites, including the leading provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from 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 end-of-July implementation date. Later data suggests this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

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

User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users before the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult services.

Young People Responding to Damaging Material

In other findings, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing harmful content online. Actions ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the user who shared it.

This research was carried out before new rules took effect that require platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation

In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world.

“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.

Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for tighter control of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that encourages abuse by using youthful performers dressed as children.

Proposed changes to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to create private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate regulatory body to perform spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.

The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.