British Pornography Site Visits Declines After Identity Verifications, Yet Virtual Private Network Use Surges, States Regulator

Traffic to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to circumvent these barriers has surged.

Immediate Fall in User Numbers Following Law Implementation

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an swift reduction in traffic to major online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July implementation date. Later data shows this downward trend in site visits persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

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

Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 users prior to the verification began. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.

Teenagers Responding to Damaging Material

Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the material to the site to blocking the person who shared it.

This research was conducted prior to new rules took effect that compel platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material.

Government Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation

Separately, the government stated it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the ever-developing digital age.

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in relation to criminalising, for example, harmful portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” stated a justice minister.

Advocates Call For Stricter Online Regulations

Campaigners for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting young-looking performers dressed as children.

Suggested changes to government bills aim to:

• Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often filmed in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Apply stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms.
• Add further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.