British Adult Content Traffic Declines Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, States Watchdog
Access to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly since the introduction of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications authority. At the same time, the use of specialist software designed to circumvent these restrictions has surged.
Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures After Law Enforcement
The introduction of age verification on 25 July led to an prompt reduction in visits to leading online adult platforms, including the leading provider in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
Overall, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July implementation date. Subsequent data suggests this decline in site visits persisted past August.
Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Checks
Reacting to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around geographic blocks by masking connections via another nation—surged after 25 July.
User numbers peaked at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification were introduced. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.
Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material
Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering harmful content online. Actions included flagging the material to the site to muting the user who posted it.
This research was conducted before new rules came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people came across such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.
Ministers Announce Review of Pornography Legislation
In a related development, the ministers announced it would review the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern online world.
“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a government official.
Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Regulations
Advocates for better control of adult content have urged the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.
Suggested amendments to legislation aim to:
- Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
- Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
- Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems.
- Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create non-consensual nude images.
- Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on reports of illegal content.
The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the digital age.