British Adult Content Traffic Declines After Identity Checks, Yet VPN Use Surges, Reports Watchdog

Traffic to adult content websites in the United Kingdom has seen a notable drop after the introduction of mandatory age verification earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to circumvent these barriers has increased.

Sharp Drop in User Numbers Following Rule Enforcement

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate decline in traffic to leading pornography sites, such as the top provider in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

In total, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in viewing persisted beyond August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new rules, adoption of VPN software—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July.

Usage peaked at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the checks began. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since steadily declined, with latest figures standing at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites.

Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Online Content

In other findings, the watchdog's report revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the person who shared it.

This research was conducted before new rules took effect that require social media companies to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform timeline, indicating that algorithms were showing harmful material.

Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Legislation

In a related development, the government announced it would review the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern online world.

“The review will look into the efficacy of the current law in regarding making illegal, for example, harmful portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.

Advocates Push For Tighter Digital Controls

Campaigners for better regulation of adult content have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called “barely legal” material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote abuse by casting youthful adults portraying children.

Proposed amendments to government bills aim to:

• Ban pornography where adults are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by site algorithms.
• Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess software designed to generate private images without permission.
• Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

The campaigners argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.