Pornhub'S Uk Traffic Plummets: Are Age Verification Rules Changing The Game? on OnlyLikeFans

UK's New Age Verification Laws Shake Up Adult Content Sites

Poor Pornhub. The UK's most-visited adult site is having a rough August, and it’s not just because its largely male audience might be off on family vacays. New age verification rules under the Online Safety Act, rolled out on July 25, are forcing users to prove their age with credit card details, bank info, mobile contracts, or even facial recognition. Talk about a mood killer.

The result? A jaw-dropping 47% drop in traffic between July 24 and August 8, according to data crunchers at Similarweb. Other adult platforms aren’t spared either - OnlyFans, the popular creator-driven site, reportedly saw a 10% dip, though some speculate it’s tied to their ban of controversial creator Bonnie Blue. Guess some late-night laundry sessions might be on pause too.

A Win for Child Safety - Or Just a Temporary Hiccup?

Let’s take a moment to cheer - cautiously. With stats showing 73% of UK porn users are male, online forums were buzzing pre-law with complaints about child safety measures cramping their style. Now, it looks like some might’ve logged off for good, or at least for now. Painful as that sounds, it’s hard not to see a silver lining.

Protecting the vulnerable is the real goal here. The average age kids in the UK first stumble on explicit content is just 13 - way too young. If these rules are breaking some adult habits as a bonus, that’s a double win worth toasting.

"If even a handful of users rethink their habits because of these barriers, we’re moving in the right direction," a child safety advocate remarked on the new legislation.

The Real Impact: Habit-Breaking or VPN Sneakiness?

Breaking a habit isn’t easy - University College London researchers say it can take 18 to 255 days. But typing in your full card details on a porn site, risking data leaks? That’s a whole other level of deterrent. Some men, based on past interviews with those struggling with mindless scrolling for darker content, might finally find this the push they needed to step away.

Don’t get too hopeful, though. Plenty of users are likely dodging the rules with VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), which mask their location. In fact, VPN apps skyrocketed to the top of the UK Apple App Store downloads right after the law hit. So, are we really seeing less usage, or just less trackable usage?

Who’s Logging Off - And Will They Thank the Campaigners?

Here’s the million-dollar question: Who’s actually quitting? Are we losing the casual late-night browser who can’t be bothered with age checks, or the heavy users stuck on violent content? There’s no clear data yet, and that’s the rub. We’re guessing in the dark.

Still, shoutout to campaigners like Baroness Kidron, who fought hard for these laws, comparing easy porn access to letting kids climb out a window. If a few grown-ups are also too lazy to sneak down the drainpipe, maybe they’ll thank her later - even if they’re grumbling now. Progress doesn’t always come with a high-five.