🔗 Share this article UK Pornography Site Visits Falls After Identity Checks, But Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, Reports Regulator Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these restrictions has surged. Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an immediate fall in visits to popular pornography sites, such as the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024. In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Later analysis suggests this downward trend in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions Reacting to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by masking internet traffic via another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 users before the checks were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Young People Responding to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Actions ranged from flagging the content to the site to muting the user who posted it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age. “The review will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Stricter Online Regulations Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography 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 performers dressed as children. Suggested amendments to legislation aim to: Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.
Visitor numbers to pornography platforms in the United Kingdom has fallen significantly after the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. At the same time, the adoption of tools designed to bypass these restrictions has surged. Immediate Drop in Visitor Figures Following Rule Implementation The introduction of age verification on 25 July resulted in an immediate fall in visits to popular pornography sites, such as the top site in the UK. Figures reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024. In total, traffic to the ten most-visited pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than before the late July deadline. Later analysis suggests this downward trend in site visits persisted beyond August. Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Bypass Restrictions Reacting to the new regulations, use of VPN software—which can circumvent location-based restrictions by masking internet traffic via another nation—increased dramatically following 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from around 650,000 users before the checks were introduced. However, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for pornography sites. Young People Responding to Harmful Material Elsewhere, the regulator's report revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content online. Actions ranged from flagging the content to the site to muting the user who posted it. This research was conducted before new rules came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way young people encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing harmful material. Ministers Announce Examination of Pornography Laws In a related development, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law governing pornography to consider whether it is “fit for purpose” in the modern digital age. “The review will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” said a justice minister. Advocates Call For Stricter Online Regulations Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography 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 performers dressed as children. Suggested amendments to legislation aim to: Prohibit pornography where adults are impersonating children, sometimes filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms. Broaden the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child. Introduce tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Add further restrictions on “nudification” software, potentially making it an illegal act to own tools designed to generate private images without permission. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of illegal content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.