UK Adult Content Traffic Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet VPN Use Spikes, States Regulator

Traffic to adult content sites in the UK has seen a notable drop after the roll-out of mandatory age verification this summer, as reported by the country's communications watchdog. Concurrently, the use of specialist software designed to dodge these blocks has surged.

Sharp Fall in User Numbers After Rule Enforcement

The enforcement of age vetting on 25 July caused an swift fall in visits to popular online adult platforms, such as the leading site in the UK. Figures shows that user traffic to this site in August reached 9.8 million, a decrease of 1.5 million from the same period in 2024.

Overall, traffic to the ten most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a markedly decreased volume than prior to the late July deadline. Subsequent data indicates this decline in site visits persisted past August.

Sharp Increase in VPN Adoption to Evade Checks

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

Usage peaked at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, rising from approximately 650,000 people before the verification began. Subsequently, the watchdog noted that VPN usage has since decreased, with current figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the volume of regular VPN use is “much lower” than user numbers for adult services.

Teenagers Responding to Harmful Online Content

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

This research was conducted prior to new rules came into force that require social media companies to prevent children from seeing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way young people encountered such content was by scrolling through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material.

Government Launch Review of Adult Content Laws

Separately, the ministers stated it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to assess whether it is effective in the ever-developing digital age.

“The examination will look into the effectiveness of the existing law in relation to criminalising, among other things, damaging portrayals of familial abuse and any types of pornography which encourage the abuse of children,” stated a justice minister.

Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations

Campaigners for tighter control of adult content have urged the authorities to ban so-called “barely legal” material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults dressed as children.

Proposed changes to government bills seek to:

• Ban pornography where performers are impersonating children, sometimes recorded in environments like children’s bedrooms.
• Extend the crime of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to cover material where an adult acts the part of a child.
• Apply tighter controls on familial abuse pornography, which studies indicates is often promoted by site algorithms.
• Introduce further restrictions on “nudification” technology, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create private images without permission.
• Create a new, separate regulatory body to perform spot checks on adult platforms and respond to complaints of illegal content.

The advocates contend that these measures would ensure the protections that have been enforced for decades offline finally are extended to the online sphere.