UK porn site traffic halves after age verification law enforced

Online traffic to major adult websites in the UK has dropped sharply after new age verification rules came into effect last month.

Between 24 July and 8 August, Pornhub — the UK’s most visited adult site — experienced a 47% fall in traffic, according to data from web analytics firm Similarweb.

This translated to a drop from an average of 3.2 million daily visits in July to just 2.0 million in early August.

Other major sites saw similar declines: XVideos also fell 47%, and xHamster dropped 39% over the same period.

The law, enforced by Ofcom from 25 July, requires adult websites to verify that all UK users are aged 18 or over.

Verification methods include uploading photo ID, entering credit card details, or scanning a user’s face to confirm their age.

The legislation forms part of the broader Online Safety Act passed in 2023, aimed at protecting children from harmful online content.

Ofcom had confirmed that several major adult platforms had agreed to implement age checks, though many delayed enforcement until the deadline.

The law’s implementation coincided with a significant rise in UK usage of virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow users to mask their location. VPN providers reported up to tenfold increases in demand during the rollout of the new rules.

Similarweb’s data may not fully reflect UK user behaviour, as VPNs could cause users to appear as though they are browsing from other countries.

However, the fall in UK-based traffic is seen as an early indicator of the legislation’s impact.

Ofcom research shows that 8% of children aged 8 to 14 in the UK have accessed online pornography in a single month, rising to 19% among boys aged 13 to 14.

The Online Safety Act also targets content related to self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide.

Ofcom is now investigating four companies managing more than 30 adult websites to assess compliance and ensure under-18s are being effectively blocked from accessing inappropriate content.