UK Adult Content Site Visits Declines After Identity Checks, But Virtual Private Network Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog

Access to adult content websites in the UK has decreased markedly since the roll-out of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. At the same time, the usage of tools designed to dodge these barriers has surged.

Sharp Drop in Visitor Figures After Rule Implementation

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July resulted in an immediate decline in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the top provider in the UK. Figures indicates that user traffic to this site in August were 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024.

In total, visitor numbers to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now stabilized at a significantly reduced level than prior to the late July deadline. Later analysis shows this decline in viewing continued past August.

Surge in Virtual Private Network Usage to Bypass Restrictions

Reacting to the new rules, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections through another nation—increased dramatically after 25 July.

Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 people before the checks began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with latest numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.

Young People Taking Action to Harmful Material

In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering damaging content on the internet. Actions included flagging the material to the platform to muting the user who posted it.

This research was carried out before new regulations came into force that compel platforms to prevent children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to suicide and adult material. The most common way young people came across such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were serving inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Pornography Legislation

Separately, the government stated it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the modern online world.

“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the current law in relation to making illegal, among other things, damaging depictions of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,” said a government official.

Advocates Push For Stricter Digital Regulations

Campaigners for better control of online pornography have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by using youthful performers dressed as children.

Suggested amendments to legislation seek to:

• Prohibit pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Broaden the crime of making an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an older performer plays the role of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by platform algorithms.
• Add further controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to own tools designed to create private images without permission.
• Create a new, independent regulatory body to conduct spot checks on adult platforms and act on complaints of unlawful content.

The advocates argue that these steps would ensure the protections that have existed for decades in the physical world finally apply to the digital age.