UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Age Checks, But VPN Use Spikes, States Regulator

Visitor numbers to adult content platforms in the UK has fallen significantly since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the country's communications regulator. Simultaneously, the use of tools designed to dodge these restrictions has surged.

Immediate Drop in User Figures After Rule Enforcement

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an swift fall in traffic to popular online adult platforms, including the most visited provider in the UK. Data indicates that visitor numbers to this site in August were 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

In total, visitor numbers to the ten top adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a “lower level” than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Later data suggests this decline in site visits continued past August.

Sharp Increase in Virtual Private Network Usage to Evade Restrictions

In response to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic blocks by masking connections via another country—more than doubled following 25 July.

Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 users before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult services.

Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content

Elsewhere, the watchdog's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content online. Steps taken ranged from flagging the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it.

This survey was carried out before new regulations took effect that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful content, such as material related to suicide and adult material. The primary way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a platform timeline, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation

In a related development, the ministers stated it would examine the legislation governing pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern digital age.

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in regarding criminalising, for example, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a government official.

Campaigners Call For Stricter Online Controls

Advocates for tighter control of online pornography have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children.

Suggested changes to legislation seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an older performer acts the part of a child.
• Apply stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research indicates is heavily recommended by site systems.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Establish a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and respond to complaints of unlawful content.

The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.