British Adult Content Traffic Declines Following Identity Checks, Yet VPN Usage Spikes, Reports Watchdog

Access to pornography sites in the UK has decreased markedly since the introduction of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications regulator. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has surged.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures Following Law Enforcement

The introduction of age verification on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in traffic to popular online adult platforms, such as the top provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than before the late July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this decline in viewing continued beyond August.

Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks

In response to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by masking connections through another nation—surged following 25 July.

Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 users prior to the checks began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.

Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering distressing content on the internet. Actions ranged from flagging the content to the site to muting the user who shared it.

This research was carried out before new regulations came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving harmful material.

Government Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

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

“The review will look into the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” said a justice minister.

Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Controls

Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have called on the government to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children.

Suggested amendments to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies suggests is heavily recommended by site systems.
• Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, separate regulatory body to perform spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content.

The advocates argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.