UK Age Verification Witnesses Boost in VPN Usage and Drop in Porn Traffic
Published
- Impact on VPN Use: UK age verification Boosts VPN adoption, with daily users more than doubling.
- Drop in Adult Traffic: Adult-site visits fell sharply after mandatory checks took effect in July.
- Wider Enforcement: Substack and dating apps also implemented verification to meet UK rules.
The UK’s mandatory age-verification rules for accessing explicit content are reshaping online behavior, according to new data from Ofcom’s latest Online Nation report. Since the age-check requirement came into force in July 2025, VPN use has surged while traffic to major adult sites has sharply dropped.
VPN Adoption More Than Doubles
Ofcom reports that daily VPN usage in the UK rose from roughly 650,000 users before July 25 to 1.5 million users by mid-August. The number later settled at around 900,000 daily users in November, still significantly higher than pre-law levels.
The increase suggests that many users turned to VPNs to avoid identity checks or geographic restrictions as age-verification systems rolled out across major adult platforms.
Porn Traffic Declines After Law Takes Effect
The introduction of compulsory age checks had an immediate impact on adult-site traffic. Ofcom notes that Pornhub, one of the UK’s most visited porn services, recorded 1.5 million fewer visitors in August 2025 compared to the same month in 2024 (dropping from 11.3 million to 9.8 million).
Traffic to the top 10 most-visited adult sites has remained at a “lower level” than before July, indicating a sustained shift rather than a temporary dip.
Age Checks Expand Beyond Adult Sites
Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, any website hosting explicit adult content must verify users’ ages or risk fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
According to the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA):
- 5 million age checks are completed daily in the UK
- 7.8 million UK visitors are now accessing adult sites that have implemented verification systems
The requirement is also expanding outside of traditional adult platforms.
- Substack announced in November 2025 that UK users would need to complete age verification.
- Dating apps such as Feeld, Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble have confirmed they will comply with the law as well.
Effectiveness and Expert Concerns
While the policy aims to protect minors from adult material, researchers and online-safety experts have repeatedly warned that age-verification systems are unlikely to fully prevent underage access.
Critics also point to wider implications, including privacy risks, data-protection concerns, and potential restrictions on how adults access not only pornography but broader areas of the internet.
As debates continue, the data shows that the law is already reshaping digital habits in the UK, shifting traffic patterns, accelerating VPN adoption, and prompting a wider conversation about how online identity should be verified in the future.
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