UK Pornography Traffic Falls Following Age Checks, But VPN Usage Spikes, States Regulator

Traffic to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the country's communications authority. Simultaneously, the usage of tools designed to dodge these blocks has increased.

Immediate Drop in User Figures After Rule Implementation

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an swift decline in traffic to popular online adult platforms, including the most visited site in the UK. Data indicates that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, visitor numbers to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the end-of-July implementation date. Subsequent data indicates this slump in site visits persisted beyond August.

Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing internet traffic via another country—more than doubled after 25 July.

User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 users prior to the checks were introduced. Subsequently, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current figures at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for pornography services.

Young People Responding to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study found that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing harmful content online. Steps taken included flagging the content to the site to muting the user who shared it.

This survey was conducted prior to new rules came into force that compel social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way young people came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation

Separately, the ministers stated it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern online world.

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

Advocates Call For Stricter Digital Controls

Advocates for better control of online pornography have urged the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, often recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms.
• Add additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess 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 measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.