Pornhub: Online traffic to pornography sites in the United Kingdom has seen a significant decline following the introduction of new age-verification regulations this summer. Since July 25, 2025, users across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are required to confirm they are 18 or older before accessing adult content. Verification methods include uploading identity documents, providing credit card information, or using facial-recognition technology to estimate age.
Major Websites Including Pornhub See Dramatic Decline
Pornhub, the world’s most visited adult website, experienced a 50 percent drop in traffic, equating to more than 1 million fewer visitors, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Hannah Swirsky, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), spoke about the impact of the regulations. The IWF is a nonprofit dedicated to combating online child sexual exploitation.
“The regulator has been very clear that self-declaration, so just ticking a box to say that you’re over 18, is not a highly effective form of age assurance,” Swirsky told ABC.
She added that the new measures not only restrict access for minors but also make it harder for children to inadvertently or deliberately encounter harmful content online.
“Children were often raising the issue of involuntarily seeing harmful content — such as pornography — online, and this also makes it a lot harder if you are trying to seek this material out,” Swirsky said.
Australia Eyes Similar Measures on Porn
The success of the UK’s system has drawn international attention. Australia plans to introduce comparable restrictions. Julie Inman Grant, Australian eSafety Commissioner, noted that roughly 30 percent of Australian children encounter pornography online by the age of 13.
By 2027, Australia aims to extend the age-verification rules to search engine services, meaning users would need to confirm their age on platforms such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge before accessing adult content.
Swirsky compared the regulations to standard age checks in everyday life.
“These changes are not a big hindrance for adults if they do want to access certain content, in the same way that you walk into a pub or a bar, you may be required to show ID,” she said.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
