British Adult Content Traffic Declines After Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, Reports Regulator

Traffic to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the roll-out of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to circumvent these barriers has increased.

Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures Following Rule Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate reduction in traffic to leading pornography sites, such as the leading provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the late July implementation date. Later analysis indicates this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks

Reacting to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can bypass location-based blocks by masking connections via another nation—increased dramatically after 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography sites.

Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Online Content

In other findings, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing harmful content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from reporting the material to the site to blocking the user who shared it.

This survey was carried out before new rules took effect that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to suicide and pornography. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing harmful material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws

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

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a government official.

Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Controls

Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to government bills seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is often promoted by site systems.
• Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
• Create a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on adult platforms and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.