🔗 Share this article British Adult Content Traffic Falls After Age Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, States Regulator Traffic to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these blocks has increased. Immediate Drop in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate reduction in visits to popular pornography sites, including the top site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than prior to the late July implementation date. Later data shows this decline in site visits persisted beyond August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based blocks by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people before the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing distressing content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to muting the person who shared it. This survey was carried out before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Government Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the government stated it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into 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. Campaigners Push For Stricter Online Controls Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Proposed amendments to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child. Apply tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform systems. Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
Traffic to pornography websites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these blocks has increased. Immediate Drop in User Numbers After Law Implementation The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate reduction in visits to popular pornography sites, including the top site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024. Overall, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than prior to the late July implementation date. Later data shows this decline in site visits persisted beyond August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Evade Restrictions Reacting to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can get around location-based blocks by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July. User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people before the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing distressing content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to muting the person who shared it. This survey was carried out before new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were serving inappropriate material. Government Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation Separately, the government stated it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world. “The examination will look into 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. Campaigners Push For Stricter Online Controls Advocates for tighter regulation of online pornography have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children. Proposed amendments to legislation seek to: Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child. Apply tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform systems. Add further controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission. Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.