🔗 Share this article British Pornography Site Visits Declines Following Age Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Regulator Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the UK has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these restrictions has increased. Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Law Enforcement The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an prompt reduction in visits to major online adult platforms, including the most visited provider in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July implementation date. Subsequent analysis shows this slump in viewing continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Checks In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken included flagging the material to the site to blocking the person who shared it. This survey was carried out before new regulations took effect that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age. “The review will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister. Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Controls Advocates for tighter control of adult content have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to government bills aim to: Ban pornography where performers are mimicking 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 adult plays the role of a child. Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The campaigners argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the UK has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications authority. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these restrictions has increased. Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Law Enforcement The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an prompt reduction in visits to major online adult platforms, including the most visited provider in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July implementation date. Subsequent analysis shows this slump in viewing continued beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Checks In response to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections through another nation—surged after 25 July. Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken included flagging the material to the site to blocking the person who shared it. This survey was carried out before new regulations took effect that compel platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material. Ministers Announce Examination of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age. “The review will look into the effectiveness of the current law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister. Campaigners Push For Tighter Digital Controls Advocates for tighter control of adult content have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children. Suggested amendments to government bills aim to: Ban pornography where performers are mimicking 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 adult plays the role of a child. Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create private images without permission. Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The campaigners argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.