UK Pornography Traffic Declines Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, Reports Regulator

Traffic to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly after the enforcement of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has risen.

Immediate Drop in Visitor Numbers Following Law Enforcement

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate reduction in visits to major pornography sites, such as the leading provider in the UK. Figures reveals that user traffic 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 ten top adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than before the late July deadline. Later data shows this decline in viewing persisted beyond August.

Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the checks were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.

Young People Responding to Damaging Material

Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content online. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the person who posted it.

This research was conducted before new rules took effect that require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Laws

Separately, the government announced it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is effective in the modern online world.

“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.

Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Controls

Advocates for better control of adult content have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using young-looking performers dressed as children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Introduce tighter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
• Introduce further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
• Establish a new, separate regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.

The campaigners contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the digital age.