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Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Over a million gone! Pornhub sees UK visitors vanish after age checks kick in
When the UK's age verification law for adult sites came into force on July 25, 2025 , the impact was immediate and brutal. Within days, Britain's biggest porn platforms lost almost half their traffic — a collapse so sharp it has stunned both the adult industry and privacy campaigners. This isn't just about one country tightening its grip on explicit content. It's a live experiment the world is watching closely, from lawmakers in Brussels to state legislatures in the US. And the early numbers tell a story of drastic behavioural shifts, unexpected winners, and growing privacy fears. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program What the data reveals about the post-verification crash Figures from analytics firm Similarweb show that Pornhub's UK visits dropped 47% in the first fortnight of enforcement — down from about 3.2 million visits per day in July to 2 million in early August . XVideos saw an identical 47% fall, while xHamster traffic declined 39% . Across the top 90 adult sites , monthly visits from the UK fell 23% . In raw numbers, that's tens of millions of pageviews gone in under three weeks. Some industry insiders told that their analytics dashboards 'looked like a heart attack on a graph' the morning after the law kicked in. 'We knew there would be a drop,' said one operator of a mid-sized UK platform. 'We just didn't expect it to be this savage.' Live Events How the age verification law works — and why it's controversial Under the Online Safety Act , any site where more than a third of content is pornographic must verify that UK visitors are over 18. Methods include uploading a passport or driving licence, using facial recognition, or entering credit card details. The government argues this protects children from harmful content. But digital rights advocates, including the Open Rights Group, warn that creating a database linking people's identities to their porn habits is a privacy disaster waiting to happen. Past attempts — notably in 2019 — failed partly because of these concerns. This time, Ofcom has regulatory teeth and is already investigating over 30 sites for potential non-compliance. The VPN surge — and how it's rewriting the traffic map If site visits in the UK are tanking, that traffic isn't just vanishing into the ether. VPN providers are reporting a marked rise in UK sign-ups since late July, with some spikes as high as 60% week-on-week , according to industry tracker Top10VPN . This shift creates a murkier data picture. A British user tunnelling through a Paris server now looks, to analytics tools, like a French visitor. That means real UK consumption could be higher than the official data shows — but hidden from regulators. Several high-traffic IP ranges previously dominant in London now appear to 'originate' from Amsterdam, Dublin, and Frankfurt. The law may have reduced visibility, not necessarily demand. Winners, losers, and the shadow economy of adult content Interestingly, some smaller sites have seen a traffic bump since enforcement began. These tend to be foreign-based platforms that have chosen not to comply with the UK rules, betting that enforcement will be slow or selective. This creates a two-tier market: large, mainstream adult sites that follow the law and lose traffic, and nimble operators that skirt the rules and pick up fleeing users. The irony? In some cases, viewers are leaving safer, regulated sites for ones with fewer content controls, poorer security, and less oversight. What happens if other countries follow the UK's lead The UK's model is already being studied in Australia , France , and several US states . Lawmakers are watching both the political optics and the technical results: does traffic stay down, or do workarounds win? If VPN adoption remains high and non-compliant sites gain market share, other countries may hesitate to adopt copycat laws — or may try harsher enforcement, such as ISP-level blocking tied to identity verification. In private conversations with European Commission staffers, I've heard a mix of fascination and caution. One policymaker told me, 'We need to know if this is protecting children or just driving traffic underground.' The bigger question: privacy vs. protection For now, the UK is a real-time test case of whether state-mandated age checks can survive the collision between privacy rights and child protection goals. What's clear is that the debate has shifted. This isn't just a tech policy fight — it's a cultural and political flashpoint. The sites, the regulators, and the users are all adapting in real time. And as one adult industry veteran put it to me this week: 'Governments keep thinking they can fix this with a law. The internet has never worked that way.' FAQs: Q1: What caused UK porn site traffic to drop? A: New age verification rules under the Online Safety Act. Q2: How are UK users bypassing the porn site ban? A: Many are using VPN services to avoid verification.
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The little-known risks of using a free VPN to get around the Online Safety Act
Many internet users have turned to VPN software to visit sites containing blocked content in the wake of the UK's Online Safety Act coming into force. The Online Safety Act sets tough new requirements on social media platforms as well as sites hosting pornography, to protect children and remove illegal content. These include requirements for age checks, some of which require personal data to be uploaded to access sites that show pornography. The site Top10VPN, which monitors VPN traffic around the world, reported that British VPN traffic rose by 1,327% on 25 July, the day the act came into force, and had risen almost almost 2,000% by 27 July. But cybersecurity experts have said that there is a danger that users will rely on free VPNs, some of which are notorious for privacy risks. What are free VPNs? Virtual private networks, or VPNs, refer to software that routes a user's internet connection through a server in another location, making it seem as if the user is in another country, and thus bypassing the requirements for age checks. Most VPNs charge a monthly fee for use, but there are free versions – ranging from trial versions of paid software to services that are always free. It's some of the always-free versions that users should be wary of, explains Jamie Akhtar, CEO and Co-founder at cybersecurity company CyberSmart. "Unfortunately, free VPNs can come with risks. Although it must be said, not always; if you're using a free trial version of a reputable product, you're likely fine. However, totally free VPNs do raise concerns," he warned. What are the risks of free VPNs? Paid VPNs are highly protective of user privacy, because their financial models rely on paying subscribers. For some free VPN services, user data can be a way to earn money - such as by selling information on the sites people visit to advertisers. Akhtar warned: 'Most free products still need some way to monetise their service, so if you aren't paying in cash, you're probably paying with your data." On less reputable free services, it's also not clear who has access to your data, and how they might use it. 'Some free VPN providers don't disclose their data policies or company ownership, making it unclear who is handling your data or what they're planning to do with it. It'll also be more difficult for you to access legal recourse if your data is abused," said Akhtar. 'If the VPN doesn't adhere to privacy laws or keeps logs that can be handed over to authorities, your identity and online activities could be exposed.' With 'free VPN' a popular search term, cybercriminals have also 'cashed in' by creating apps that look like VPNs but are in fact malware that can infect devices. 'There have been instances of cybercriminals disguising free downloadable VPNs as malware, spyware, and ransomware, so be very careful where you source yours from," added Akhtar. How can I be sure a VPN is safe? There are free VPNs which are perfectly safe to use, such as trial versions offered by major VPN companies such as NordVPN, PrivadoVPN, Surfshark, Proton and Norton. But as a general rule, these come with limitations such as slower speeds or a cap on data. It's generally worth paying the small monthly fee for a paid VPN service just for peace of mind, says Akhtar. 'Many free VPNs have weaker encryption standards or outdated protocols, which can leave your data vulnerable to interception and your device open to attack. There's also the likelihood that it just won't work as well as a paid service. Many free VPNs have unstable connections and high latency, making using them a pretty frustrating experience. 'All in all, it's worth stumping up the extra cash for a paid service. Excellent VPN services can be found for very little cost, and it's worth it for the peace of mind you'll gain."
Mint
20-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
From privacy needs to internet bans: What's spurring the growth of VPN services?
In a report released this month, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing—raised concerns about how virtual private networks (VPNs) are being misused to facilitate terror financing and evade surveillance. A VPN is a way to access the internet without revealing your IP address or leaving behind a browsing history, while encrypting your data, and sidestepping website blocks and firewalls. VPNs are widely used—for business and personal reasons, with intentions noble and ill. On the one hand, VPNs serve as vital tools for individuals in countries with strict internet censorship, enabling access to restricted content. On the other hand, they can be exploited for nefarious purposes. The FATF cited the 2022 attack on security personnel at the Gorakhnath Temple in Uttar Pradesh as a case in point: the lone assailant reportedly used a VPN to transfer funds between Indian and foreign bank accounts and to conceal his digital communications. His purchase of the VPN service later became a crucial investigative lead. Approximately 31% (or 1.75 billion) of the world's internet users utilise VPNs, with India, China, and Indonesia leading the way. A bulk of them use free VPNs, which may not offer true anonymity. There is an active market for paid VPN services. In 2022, it generated revenues of approximately $31.6 billion and is projected to grow to around $125 billion by 2032—a compound annual growth rate of 14.7%. A survey of US adults shows that nearly half used a VPN in 2023. Furthermore, between 2021 and 2023, a larger proportion of users utilised VPNs on their personal devices. Protecting privacy Much of VPN usage on personal devices is driven by a desire for privacy. But VPNs are also used creatively—for instance, a Netflix subscriber in India can connect to a US server via a VPN to access the American Netflix library. While entertainment is one motivation, privacy remains the stronger driver. A 2020 survey by Top10VPN, a research firm focused on VPN services, found that users are more concerned about safeguarding their digital footprints than entertainment. For example, half of the top 10 ranked VPN apps in the Taiwan App Store had links to mainland China. Simon Migliano, head of research at says: 'While internet shutdowns and censorship have been the catalyst for recent surges in VPN use in authoritarian countries, more democratic nations have seen a sharp increase in VPN adoption for a multitude of different reasons…approach to privacy stem from a more general worry, rather than from an understanding of data collection practices across online industries." Covid spike In terms of protecting their privacy, internet users have four options: delete cookies, use a private browsing window, VPN, and ad-blockers. In the same Top10VPN survey in 42 countries, only 16% of survey respondents had used all four options. Further, about one-fourth said they used no privacy tools. The survey said: 'While a need for privacy dictates VPN adoption, the tools themselves escape the same scrutiny. Users look at speed and quality of connection when shopping for VPNs before they look at privacy policies." Google Trends data from India backs this up. Interest in VPNs surged during the two pandemic-induced lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, when remote work became the norm. The peak came in May 2021, during the country's second major lockdown—marking the highest search interest for VPNs in the past decade. Internet shutdowns Between January 2020 and May 2025, India witnessed nine sharp spikes in Google search interest for VPN services. Five of these coincided with the covid-19 lockdowns. The remaining four surges occurred in the context of socio-political unrest—three of them directly linked to internet shutdowns. In March 2020, search interest jumped in Jammu & Kashmir when some restrictions on internet access were temporarily eased following a prolonged curfew that began after a change in the region's political status in August 2019. On 4 March 2020, some curbs were temporarily lifted, and interest in VPNs shot up. Two other significant upticks occurred in Manipur and Meghalaya during periods when mobile internet services were suspended, triggering a rush toward VPNs to bypass the shutdowns. The most recent spike came in May 2025, following a terror attack in Pahalgam. In response, India imposed a blanket ban on all Pakistan-origin content on streaming platforms. The move drove many users to VPNs as a workaround. In a world turning right in political ideology, seeing an increase in armed conflict, and grappling with technology on an unprecedented scale, expect VPNs to thrive. is a database and search engine for public data
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
France gets blocked from Pornhub on June 4, and within 30 minutes Proton VPN usage explodes by a whopping 1000%
Live Events FAQs (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel On June 4, Pornhub and its sister sites Redtube and YouPorn got blocked for users in France. Instead of the normal site, French users were shown a message protesting new French rules about age checks to stop minors from watching porn, as per rules were supposed to be followed by June 7, and France asked all adult sites to start age verification before that. Just 30 minutes after the block, ProtonVPN said their signups shot up by 1,000%. They said this was an even bigger spike than when the US tried to ban TikTok earlier, according to the report by was actually Pornhub's second-biggest audience in 2024, after the US. Another VPN company, NordVPN, said their usage went up by 170% in France since the ban. The NordVPN rep added that these jumps usually happen when people feel their online freedom is being blocked, as mentioned in the reports.A site that tracks VPN trends, Top10VPN, said that on June 4, overall VPN demand rose by 334% compared to the average of the last 28 days. The company behind Pornhub, Aylo, said it's not totally against age verification, but they don't support France's way of doing it, according to the believes France's method won't really stop minors and also puts user privacy at risk. Instead, Aylo wants any age checks to happen on the user's device, not through external methods, as stated by blocked itself in protest of France's strict age verification rules for adult used VPNs like ProtonVPN to bypass the Pornhub block after the site went offline.
