British Pornography Traffic Falls After Age Verifications, Yet VPN Use Spikes, Reports Watchdog

Access to pornography websites in the UK has decreased markedly after the enforcement of age-checking measures this summer, as reported by the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the use of specialist software designed to bypass these blocks has risen.

Immediate Drop in User Figures Following Law Enforcement

The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt fall in traffic to leading pornography sites, such as the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that visitor numbers to this platform in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million from the equivalent month in 2024.

In total, traffic to the 10 top pornography sites in the UK have now stabilized at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July implementation date. Later data shows this downward trend in viewing persisted past August.

Surge in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions

Reacting to the new regulations, use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)—which can bypass location-based blocks by routing connections via another country—surged after 25 July.

Usage reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from around 650,000 users prior to the checks began. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has afterwards fallen back, with current numbers at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains “much lower” than traffic for adult services.

Teenagers Taking Action to Damaging Online Content

In other findings, the regulator's annual study revealed that about 60% of young people aged 11 to 17 had acted after encountering damaging content online. Actions ranged from reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it.

This research was carried out prior to new regulations took effect that compel social media companies to prevent children from seeing harmful content, such as material related to self-harm and pornography. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by scrolling through a social media feed, indicating that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Laws

Separately, the ministers stated it would review the legislation relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing digital age.

“The review will investigate the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of incest and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,” stated a government official.

Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Controls

Advocates for tighter 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 casting young-looking adults portraying children.

Suggested changes to legislation aim to:

• Prohibit pornography where performers are impersonating children, often recorded in settings like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child.
• Introduce stricter regulation on incest-themed pornography, which studies suggests is often promoted by site systems.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess tools designed to generate non-consensual nude images.
• Create a new, separate oversight agency to conduct spot checks on pornography sites and act on complaints of illegal content.

The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have existed for years offline finally apply to the digital age.