Access to adult content sites in the United Kingdom has decreased markedly after the enforcement of age-checking measures earlier this year, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. At the same time, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these barriers has surged.
Immediate Fall in User Figures After Rule Implementation
The enforcement of age verification on 25 July resulted in an prompt fall in traffic to leading online adult platforms, including the leading provider in the UK. Figures indicates that visitor numbers to this platform in August stood at 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to the equivalent month in 2024.
In total, traffic to the ten top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the end-of-July deadline. Later analysis indicates this decline in site visits persisted beyond August.
Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks
In response to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can circumvent geographic blocks by routing connections through another country—more than doubled after 25 July.
Usage reached a high at over 1.4 million in mid-August, up from around 650,000 users before the checks began. Subsequently, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards steadily declined, with current figures at around 900,000. It added that the volume of daily VPN use is “much lower” than traffic for adult sites.
Young People Responding to Damaging Material
In other findings, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had acted after seeing distressing content online. Steps taken included reporting the material to the platform to muting the user who posted it.
This research was carried out before new rules took effect that compel social media companies to stop children from accessing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a platform timeline, indicating that recommendation systems were showing inappropriate material.
Ministers Launch Review of Adult Content Legislation
In a related development, the government announced it would examine the legislation relating to pornography to assess whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.
“The examination will look into the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, harmful depictions of familial abuse and any types of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.
Advocates Push For Stricter Online Regulations
Campaigners for tighter control of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that encourages abuse by casting youthful adults dressed as children.
Proposed changes to government bills aim to:
- Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like children’s bedrooms.
- Broaden the offence of creating an indecent image of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
- Apply tighter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by platform algorithms.
- Introduce additional controls on “nudification” software, potentially making it an offence to possess tools designed to generate private images without permission.
- Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and act on reports of unlawful content.
The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for years offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
