đ Share this article British Pornography Site Visits Falls Following Identity Checks, Yet Virtual Private Network Usage Surges, Reports Regulator Visitor numbers to pornography sites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Concurrently, the usage of specialist software designed to circumvent these restrictions has surged. Sharp Fall in User Figures After Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt fall in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a âlower levelâ than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in viewing continued past August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)âwhich can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections through another countryâsurged after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification began. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use is âmuch lowerâ than traffic for adult sites. Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted before new rules took effect that require platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material. Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation In a related development, the government announced it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is âfit for purposeâ in the ever-developing digital age. âThe review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,â said a government official. Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations Campaigners for better control of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called âbarely legalâ material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Suggested changes to government bills seek to: Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in settings like childrenâs bedrooms. Extend the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child. Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms. Introduce further controls on ânudificationâ software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of illegal content. The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.
Visitor numbers to pornography sites in the UK has seen a notable drop since the roll-out of age-checking measures earlier this year, according to the nation's communications regulator. Concurrently, the usage of specialist software designed to circumvent these restrictions has surged. Sharp Fall in User Figures After Law Enforcement The introduction of age vetting on 25 July caused an prompt fall in visits to major online adult platforms, such as the most visited provider in the UK. Data shows that visitor numbers to this site in August stood at 9.8 million, a drop of 1.5 million compared to the same period in 2024. Overall, traffic to the 10 most-visited adult services in the UK have now settled at a âlower levelâ than before the late July deadline. Later analysis indicates this slump in viewing continued past August. Surge in VPN Adoption to Bypass Checks In response to the new rules, adoption of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)âwhich can bypass geographic blocks by routing connections through another countryâsurged after 25 July. User numbers reached a high at over 1.4 million in the middle of August, up from approximately 650,000 users prior to the verification began. However, the watchdog stated that VPN usage has since fallen back, with current figures at around 900,000. It clarified that the level of daily VPN use is âmuch lowerâ than traffic for adult sites. Young People Taking Action to Harmful Online Content Elsewhere, the regulator's report found that about 60% of teenagers aged 11 to 17 had taken action after encountering distressing content on the internet. Steps taken included reporting the content to the site to blocking the user who shared it. This research was conducted before new rules took effect that require platforms to stop children from accessing dangerous content, including material related to self-harm and adult material. The most common way teenagers encountered such content was by looking through a social media feed, suggesting that algorithms were showing inappropriate material. Ministers Launch Examination of Adult Content Legislation In a related development, the government announced it would review the criminal law relating to pornography to consider whether it is âfit for purposeâ in the ever-developing digital age. âThe review will investigate the efficacy of the existing law in relation to criminalising, for example, damaging depictions of incest and any types of pornography which promote child sexual abuse,â said a government official. Campaigners Push For Tighter Online Regulations Campaigners for better control of online pornography have urged the government to ban so-called âbarely legalâ material. This includes content featuring simulated familial abuse or that appears to promote child sexual abuse by using youthful adults portraying children. Suggested changes to government bills seek to: Ban pornography where adults are mimicking children, sometimes filmed in settings like childrenâs bedrooms. Extend the offence of creating an exploitative portrayal of a child to include material where an adult plays the role of a child. Introduce stricter controls on familial abuse pornography, which research suggests is heavily recommended by site algorithms. Introduce further controls on ânudificationâ software, potentially making it an illegal act to possess software designed to create non-consensual nude images. Establish a new, independent regulatory body to perform inspections on pornography sites and act on reports of illegal content. The advocates argue that these measures would ensure the safeguards that have been enforced for years in the physical world finally are extended to the digital age.