🔗 Share this article UK Pornography Traffic Falls After Age Verifications, But VPN Use Surges, States Regulator Traffic to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications regulator. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has risen. Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures After Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt decline in visits to leading pornography sites, including the top site in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections via another country—surged following 25 July. Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography services. Young People Taking Action to Damaging Material In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing harmful content online. Actions included flagging the content to the site to muting the person who posted it. This research was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Adult Content Legislation In a related development, the government announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age. “The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official. Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations Advocates for tighter regulation 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 using young-looking performers portraying children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child. Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems. Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.
Traffic to pornography websites in the UK has fallen significantly since the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications regulator. Concurrently, the adoption of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has risen. Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures After Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt decline in visits to leading pornography sites, including the top site in the UK. Figures shows that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, visitor numbers to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this downward trend in viewing continued beyond August. Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Checks Reacting to the new rules, use of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic restrictions by routing connections via another country—surged following 25 July. Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 people prior to the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has afterwards decreased, with latest figures at around 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for pornography services. Young People Taking Action to Damaging Material In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after seeing harmful content online. Actions included flagging the content to the site to muting the person who posted it. This research was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that require platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a social media timeline, indicating that algorithms were serving harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Adult Content Legislation In a related development, the government announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age. “The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official. Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations Advocates for tighter regulation 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 using young-looking performers portraying children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child. Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform systems. Introduce additional restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to create private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of illegal content. The campaigners contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally are extended to the online sphere.