LONDON, U.K. — Pornhub says its UK traffic has plunged by more than three-quarters since the government began enforcing strict age verification rules for adult sites under the Online Safety Act.
The company claims that the number of UK visitors dropped 77% since July, when the new measures came into force. It argues that websites ignoring the rules are benefiting from the crackdown.
Although the BBC was unable to independently verify Pornhub’s figures, Google search data indicates interest in the site has fallen by nearly half since the new law took effect.
The fall may reflect both reduced consumption and a surge in people accessing adult sites through virtual private networks (VPNs), which disguise a user’s location.
Changing Online Habits
The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires UK internet users to prove they are over 18 before viewing pornographic material, using tools such as facial recognition or digital ID verification.
Pornhub, one of the world’s largest adult sites and ranked 19th globally across all websites, says the new rules are reshaping how Britons consume adult content.
Figures from Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, show overall visits to adult sites have fallen by almost a third since July.
The watchdog said the legislation was achieving its main aim: preventing children from “easily stumbling across porn without searching for it.”
“Our new rules end the era of an age-blind internet,” Ofcom said.
VPN Use Spiked, Then Dipped
Ofcom data suggests around 1.5 million people used VPNs daily in July after the law was introduced, though usage has since fallen to about one million per day.
Meanwhile, research by cybersecurity firm Cybernews found more than 10.7 million VPN app downloads in the UK this year, suggesting many adults are using them to bypass verification checks.
“It’s likely that people not wanting to verify their age or identity are using VPNs to access sexual content,” said Dr Hanne Stegeman of the University of Exeter.
Cybernews researcher Aras Nazarovas said VPN providers saw “an 1,800% surge in downloads” immediately after the rules came into effect, suggesting Pornhub’s “missing” UK users were being reclassified as non-UK traffic rather than disappearing altogether.
Pornhub’s Parent Company Calls Rules ‘Unenforceable’
Alex Kekesi, an executive at Pornhub’s parent firm Aylo, said Ofcom faced an “insurmountable task” policing hundreds of thousands of adult websites.
“There are an estimated 240,000 adult platforms visited by around eight million UK users monthly, but fewer than 70 sites have faced enforcement,” she told the BBC.
Kekesi also warned that non-compliant sites were seeing “exponential” growth and sometimes hosting illegal material, including content appearing to target underage users.
Aylo said it had reported such sites to Ofcom.
Regulator and Government Defend the Law
Ofcom defended its approach, saying it prioritises enforcement against the most popular and risky platforms. It said that three-quarters of visits to the top 100 adult sites now go to platforms with verified age checks in place.
“Sites that don’t comply and put children at risk can expect enforcement action,” the regulator said.
The government has also backed the law, insisting that protecting children online remains a “top priority.”
“Where evidence shows further intervention is needed, we will not hesitate to act,” it said in a statement.
Debate Over How to Verify Users
During meetings with UK officials, Kekesi argued that device-level verification—rather than website-based checks—would better protect privacy and reduce friction for users.
Pornhub complied with UK rules after being allowed to use less intrusive age-assurance methods such as email verification, unlike in countries such as France, where it blocked access rather than submit to regulators’ demands.
However, Ian Corby, head of the Age Verification Providers Association, rejected device-level verification, saying all platforms should face “robust, not superficial or fake” checks.
Cybersecurity expert Chelsea Jarvie of Strathclyde University said no single method would solve the problem:
“For someone to truly be safe online, we need different layers of control throughout their browsing journey.”