UK Adult Content Traffic Falls After Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, States Watchdog

Visitor numbers to adult content sites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the introduction of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the usage of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has risen.

Immediate Drop in User Numbers Following Law Implementation

The enforcement of age verification on 25 July caused an immediate reduction in traffic to major pornography sites, such as the leading site in the UK. Data indicates that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

Overall, traffic to the ten top adult services in the UK have now settled at a significantly reduced level than prior to the end-of-July implementation date. Later data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted beyond August.

Surge in VPN Usage to Bypass Checks

In response to the new regulations, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic restrictions by routing internet traffic through another nation—surged after 25 July.

User numbers peaked at more than 1.4 million in mid-August, rising from approximately 650,000 people prior to the verification were introduced. Subsequently, the regulator stated that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest figures standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult services.

Teenagers Responding 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 seeing harmful content online. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the platform to blocking the user who shared it.

This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that compel platforms to stop children from seeing dangerous 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 algorithms were showing harmful material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Laws

Separately, the government stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is effective in the modern digital age.

“The examination will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of incest and any forms of pornography which encourage child sexual abuse,” said a justice minister.

Advocates Call For Tighter Digital Controls

Advocates for tighter regulation of adult content have called on the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring incest scenes or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the offence of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Introduce tighter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which research suggests is often promoted by platform systems.
• Add additional controls on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an offence to own software designed to generate private images without permission.
• Establish a new, independent oversight agency to perform spot checks on adult platforms and act on reports of unlawful content.

The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for decades offline finally apply to the online sphere.