UK Porn Sites Face Traffic Decline Amid Age Verification and Rising VPN Use
Published 10 December 2025
Highlights
- Ofcom fined AVS Group Ltd £1 million for inadequate age verification on pornographic websites under the Online Safety Act.
- AVS Group Ltd has since implemented more robust age checks, but could face additional fines of £1,000 per day until compliance is verified.
- The introduction of age checks on 25 July led to a significant drop in UK traffic to major pornography sites like Pornhub.
- VPN usage in the UK surged after age checks were enforced, peaking at over 1.4 million users in mid-August.
- The UK government is reviewing criminal laws related to pornography to ensure they are effective in the digital age.
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Rewritten Article
Title: UK Porn Sites Face Traffic Decline Amid Age Verification and Rising VPN Use
The UK's implementation of stringent age verification measures on pornography websites has led to a notable decrease in site traffic, while the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) has surged, according to recent reports by Ofcom. This development follows the enforcement of the Online Safety Act, which mandates robust age checks to prevent minors from accessing explicit content.
Ofcom's Enforcement and AVS Group's Response
On December 4, Ofcom imposed a £1 million fine on AVS Group Ltd, a company operating several pornographic websites, for failing to comply with the Online Safety Act's age verification requirements. Since the fine, AVS has introduced enhanced age assurance methods on some of its platforms, although Ofcom warns that the company could incur additional fines of £1,000 per day until full compliance is achieved. An Ofcom spokesperson noted that the new measures are "capable of being highly effective" in determining user age.
Impact on Pornography Website Traffic
The introduction of age checks on July 25 resulted in an immediate decline in visits to popular porn sites, including Pornhub, which saw a drop of 1.5 million visitors in August compared to the previous year. Data from Similarweb indicates that this downward trend continued, with Pornhub's unique visitors falling by 36% in recent months. Other major sites like Xvideos and Chaturbate also experienced significant declines in traffic.
Surge in VPN Usage
In response to the age verification measures, VPN usage in the UK more than doubled, peaking at over 1.4 million users in mid-August. Although VPN usage has since declined to around 900,000, it remains a popular method for circumventing age restrictions. Ofcom noted that VPN usage is still lower than the number of users accessing pornographic services.
Government Review and Future Implications
The UK government has announced a review of criminal laws related to pornography to assess their effectiveness in the evolving digital landscape. This review will consider the adequacy of existing laws in addressing harmful content, including depictions of incest and other forms of pornography that may encourage child exploitation.
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Scenario Analysis
The ongoing enforcement of the Online Safety Act and the associated decline in pornography site traffic could lead to further regulatory measures to ensure compliance across the industry. The surge in VPN usage highlights a potential challenge for regulators in effectively enforcing age verification. As the UK government reviews its criminal laws concerning pornography, there may be significant legal and policy changes aimed at enhancing online safety. Experts suggest that the effectiveness of these measures will depend on technological advancements and international cooperation to address the global nature of internet content.
The UK's implementation of stringent age verification measures on pornography websites has led to a notable decrease in site traffic, while the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) has surged, according to recent reports by Ofcom. This development follows the enforcement of the Online Safety Act, which mandates robust age checks to prevent minors from accessing explicit content.
Ofcom's Enforcement and AVS Group's Response
On December 4, Ofcom imposed a £1 million fine on AVS Group Ltd, a company operating several pornographic websites, for failing to comply with the Online Safety Act's age verification requirements. Since the fine, AVS has introduced enhanced age assurance methods on some of its platforms, although Ofcom warns that the company could incur additional fines of £1,000 per day until full compliance is achieved. An Ofcom spokesperson noted that the new measures are "capable of being highly effective" in determining user age.
Impact on Pornography Website Traffic
The introduction of age checks on July 25 resulted in an immediate decline in visits to popular porn sites, including Pornhub, which saw a drop of 1.5 million visitors in August compared to the previous year. Data from Similarweb indicates that this downward trend continued, with Pornhub's unique visitors falling by 36% in recent months. Other major sites like Xvideos and Chaturbate also experienced significant declines in traffic.
Surge in VPN Usage
In response to the age verification measures, VPN usage in the UK more than doubled, peaking at over 1.4 million users in mid-August. Although VPN usage has since declined to around 900,000, it remains a popular method for circumventing age restrictions. Ofcom noted that VPN usage is still lower than the number of users accessing pornographic services.
Government Review and Future Implications
The UK government has announced a review of criminal laws related to pornography to assess their effectiveness in the evolving digital landscape. This review will consider the adequacy of existing laws in addressing harmful content, including depictions of incest and other forms of pornography that may encourage child exploitation.
What this might mean
The ongoing enforcement of the Online Safety Act and the associated decline in pornography site traffic could lead to further regulatory measures to ensure compliance across the industry. The surge in VPN usage highlights a potential challenge for regulators in effectively enforcing age verification. As the UK government reviews its criminal laws concerning pornography, there may be significant legal and policy changes aimed at enhancing online safety. Experts suggest that the effectiveness of these measures will depend on technological advancements and international cooperation to address the global nature of internet content.
