UK Adult Content Traffic Declines Following Identity Verifications, But Virtual Private Network Usage Spikes, Reports Watchdog

Traffic to adult content platforms in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the country's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these blocks has risen.

Immediate Fall in Visitor Figures Following Law Implementation

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt reduction in visits to popular pornography sites, such as the top site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.

Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Later analysis shows this slump in viewing persisted past August.

Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Adoption to Bypass Restrictions

In response to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing connections via another country—increased dramatically after 25 July.

User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 people prior to the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than user numbers for adult sites.

Teenagers Taking Action to Harmful Online Content

In other findings, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing damaging content on the internet. Actions ranged from flagging the material to the platform to blocking the user who shared it.

This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel social media companies to stop children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by scrolling through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material.

Government Launch Review of Pornography Legislation

In a related development, the government stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age.

“The examination will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to making illegal, for example, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.

Campaigners Call For Stricter Digital Regulations

Campaigners 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 encourages abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children.

Suggested changes to government bills aim to:

• Ban pornography where performers are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by platform systems.
• Introduce additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to own software designed to generate private images without permission.
• Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and act on reports of illegal content.

The advocates argue that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.