The United Kingdom’s newly enforced age verification rules for adult websites have triggered an unprecedented drop in traffic for some of the world’s largest adult content platforms. Since late July, when the regulation came into effect, Pornhub alone has seen an estimated one million fewer visitors each day.
Under the new law, adult sites can no longer rely on the old system where users simply confirmed they were over 18 with a single click. Instead, platforms must now implement secure age verification methods, such as submitting official identification documents, providing credit card details, verifying via email or phone, or even going through a manual check with customer support.
The impact was immediate and severe. Data from web analytics company Similarweb shows that between July and early August, Pornhub’s average daily visits in the UK fell from around 3.2 million to just 2 million a staggering 47 percent drop. Xvideos, another major adult site, experienced a decline of similar magnitude, while OnlyFans saw a smaller but still notable decrease of roughly 10 percent.
Interestingly, some smaller and lesser-known platforms, which may have more lenient verification processes, actually gained traffic during the same period. This suggests that while the new regulations are tightening control over mainstream adult content providers, they may also be pushing certain users toward alternative, less regulated spaces.
The UK government says the move is part of a wider effort to make the internet safer and to protect minors from accessing explicit material. Critics, however, argue that the policy raises privacy concerns, as it requires people to hand over sensitive personal information to view adult content. Some also question whether the rules will have the intended effect, pointing out that determined users will likely find ways around them.
What is clear is that the shift has already reshaped online viewing habits in the UK and for Pornhub and similar sites, the loss of millions of visits is a wake-up call that the era of unverified adult browsing may be coming to an end.
