đ Share this article British Pornography Site Visits Declines After Identity Verifications, Yet VPN Use Surges, States Watchdog Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the UK has fallen significantly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to dodge these barriers has surged. Sharp Fall in User Figures Following Rule Implementation The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to 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 deadline. Later data indicates this slump in site visits persisted past August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of VPN softwareâwhich can bypass geographic blocks by routing internet traffic through another countryâsurged after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users prior to the checks were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains âmuch lowerâ than user numbers for adult services. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the platform to muting the user who posted it. This survey was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that require platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Announce Review of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world. âThe review will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,â said a justice minister. Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Controls Campaigners for better regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called âbarely legalâ material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like childrenâs bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child. Apply stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Introduce additional controls on ânudificationâ 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 adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.
Visitor numbers to adult content websites in the UK has fallen significantly after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, according to the nation's communications watchdog. Simultaneously, the adoption of tools designed to dodge these barriers has surged. Sharp Fall in User Figures Following Rule Implementation The introduction of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate reduction in traffic to leading online adult platforms, such as the most visited site in the UK. Data reveals that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decline of 1.5 million compared to 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 deadline. Later data indicates this slump in site visits persisted past August. Sharp Increase in VPN Usage to Evade Restrictions In response to the new regulations, use of VPN softwareâwhich can bypass geographic blocks by routing internet traffic through another countryâsurged after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at more than 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from around 650,000 users prior to the checks were introduced. However, the regulator noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with latest numbers standing at approximately 900,000. It added that the level of regular VPN use remains âmuch lowerâ than user numbers for adult services. Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the watchdog's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering harmful content on the internet. Steps taken ranged from reporting the content to the platform to muting the user who posted it. This survey was carried out prior to new regulations came into force that require platforms to stop children from seeing harmful content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The primary way teenagers came across such content was by looking through a platform feed, indicating that recommendation systems were serving harmful material. Government Announce Review of Adult Content Laws Separately, the ministers announced it would examine the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is adequate in the ever-developing online world. âThe review will investigate the efficacy of the current law in regarding criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any forms of pornography which promote the abuse of children,â said a justice minister. Campaigners Call For Tighter Online Controls Campaigners for better regulation of online pornography have called on the authorities to outlaw so-called âbarely legalâ material. This encompasses content featuring incest scenes or that encourages child sexual abuse by casting youthful performers portraying children. Suggested amendments to legislation seek to: Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, often filmed in environments like childrenâs bedrooms. Broaden the crime of making an indecent image of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child. Apply stricter controls on incest-themed pornography, which studies indicates is heavily recommended by platform algorithms. Introduce additional controls on ânudificationâ 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 adult platforms and respond to reports of unlawful content. The advocates contend that these steps would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.