(MENAFN- Live Mint) Pornhub's UK traffic dropped by 77% compared to July, following the introduction of stricter age verification for adult websites under the Online Safety Act (OSA), it said. The firm suggests that sites not complying with the new rules are gaining an advantage.

According to the date from Google shows searches for the world's most popular adult site, which ranks 19th overall among all websites, based on Similarweb data, reduced to nearly half after the law got implemented, a report by BBC noted.

Under the OSA, anyone in the UK who wants to access adult websites must now verify they are over 18 using methods such as facial recognition.

The company's statement is the latest sign that people in the UK are changing their online habits since the OSA took effect.

What is Online Safety Act?

The main emphasis of the OSA is to make the internet a safer space for UK users, particularly children. It sets out a series of laws and responsibilities that online platforms are required to follow, with Ofcom, the media regulator, overseeing their implementation and enforcement.

Under the Children's Codes, platforms must stop young users from being exposed to harmful material related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and pornography under the Children's codes. This means that certain services, especially adult websites, will begin verifying the ages of UK visitors.

What did Ofcom say?

Ofcom, the media regulator, mentioned that overall visits to pornography sites in the UK have fallen by nearly one-third in the three months since 25 July. The regulator said the new legislation is achieving its main goal of preventing children from being able to“easily stumble across porn without searching for it".

Ofcom told the BBC it estimated that daily VPN use in the UK rose to about 1.5 million people in July, following the introduction of the new law, but has since fallen to around one million.

At the same time, research by Cybernews found over 10.7 million VPN app downloads in the UK from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store throughout 2025.

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Dr. Hanne Stegeman from the University of Exeter informed BBC,“It is likely that people not wanting to verify their age or identity to access sexual content, for example because of privacy concerns, are using VPNs to get around this. As the location of website visitors are usually determined through IP addresses, it could be that those figures are inaccurate when a portion of visitors are using VPNs.”

'After age checks kicked in, VPN apps jumped to top of UK app store'

Cybernews information security researcher Aras Nazarovas also mentioned that people in the UK“can and do” use VPNs. He stated,“After age checks kicked in, VPN apps jumped to the top of the UK App Store, and at least one provider saw a 1,800% surge in downloads. So part of Pornhub's 'missing' UK audience hasn't vanished – it's being reclassified as non-UK traffic.”

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Ofcom's data indicates that all of the 10 most visited adult websites have age-assurance measures in place, accounting for a quarter of all UK visits to such sites. It also notes that more than three-quarters of daily traffic to the top 100 adult websites goes to those that have implemented age assurance.

The government has reportedly defended the regulator, saying that protecting children online remains a“top priority” for ministers. It staed, "Where evidence shows further intervention is needed to protect children, we will not hesitate to act,” it added in a statement.

Key Takeaways

• According to the date from Google shows searches for Pornhub reportedly educed to nearly half after the law got implemented.
• The main emphasis of the OSA is to make the internet a safer space for UK users, particularly children.
• Ofcom, the media regulator, mentioned that overall visits to pornography sites in the UK have fallen by nearly one-third in the three months since 25 July.

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