Traffic from British users to major pornography websites has nearly halved since the enforcement of new age verification regulations in the UK. Notably, Pornhub lost over 1 million visitors within just two weeks of the new rules taking effect.
On July 25, the media regulator Ofcom began implementing these requirements under the Online Safety Act, one of the strictest frameworks aimed at safeguarding children online. Adult sites are now required to verify the age of all UK users, with methods including uploading identity documents, entering credit card details, or using facial recognition technology.
Data from Similarweb indicates that Pornhub experienced a 47% decline in traffic from July 24, the day before the regulations were enforced, to August 8. Meanwhile, XVideos also saw a 47% drop, and xHamster, the third most popular adult site, reported a 39% decrease during the same period. Pornhub’s average daily visits fell from 3.2 million in July to 2.0 million in the first nine days of August, while xHamster’s dropped from 1.7 million to 1.2 million.
Pornhub commented, “As observed in other regions, compliant sites often see a decrease in traffic, while non-compliant sites may experience an increase.” Neither xHamster nor XVideos provided comments when approached. The introduction of age verification coincided with a significant rise in British usage of virtual private networks (VPNs). Several VPN apps surged to the top of the UK iPhone App Store, with providers like Proton and Nord Security reporting usage increases of up to tenfold. Users employing a VPN would appear to access sites from different countries, complicating the analysis of traffic changes.
While Ofcom announced that many major porn providers, including Pornhub, agreed to implement effective age checks, compliance often occurred only just before the July 25 deadline. Unlike adult sites, social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit maintained stable traffic figures after similar age checks were introduced.
The UK’s online safety regulations aim to prevent minors from accessing pornography and harmful content related to self-harm, eating disorders, or suicide. This legislation, passed in 2023 and being rolled out in phases, serves as a global benchmark for holding tech companies accountable for child protection online. The EU, Australia, and various U.S. states are also exploring age verification measures.
Ofcom’s research reveals that 8% of children aged 8-14 in the UK and 19% of boys aged 13-14 have visited a porn site in the last month. While the law enjoys public support, it faces criticism over privacy concerns and pushback from some U.S. officials and tech companies regarding its potential impact on free speech.
The data from Similarweb marks the first clear indication of how UK internet users are reacting to the new safety measures. However, the long-term effects may stabilize as users adapt to the new rules and learn to navigate age verification tools. Additionally, traffic to adult sites can vary widely daily due to numerous factors, including weather and sporting events.
Overall, total monthly visits to the 90 largest adult sites fell by 23% from July to August, indicating variability between top-tier sites and lesser-known platforms. Some smaller sites even reported significant traffic increases.
Ofcom is currently assessing compliance with the new laws and investigating four companies responsible for over 30 porn sites to determine their effectiveness in preventing under-18s from accessing their services.
