UK Adult Content Site Visits Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, Reports Watchdog

Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the UK has decreased markedly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of tools designed to circumvent these barriers has increased.

Sharp Fall in Visitor Figures After Rule Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate reduction in visits to leading online adult platforms, such as the top site in the UK. Data shows that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July deadline. Later data suggests this downward trend in site visits continued beyond August.

Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

Reacting to the new regulations, adoption of VPN software—which can get around location-based blocks by masking internet traffic through another country—surged following 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites.

Young People Responding to Harmful Material

In other findings, the regulator's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing damaging content online. Steps taken included reporting the material to the platform to blocking the user who posted it.

This research was carried out before new rules took effect that require social media companies to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.

Government Launch Review of Adult Content Laws

Separately, the ministers announced it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is effective in the ever-developing online world.

“The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in relation to making illegal, for example, damaging portrayals of incest and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a government official.

Campaigners Call For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for better control of adult content have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting young-looking adults dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to government bills seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of making an indecent image of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Introduce tighter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is heavily recommended by site systems.
• Add additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images.
• Create a new, independent oversight agency to conduct inspections on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.

The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.