Nearly half of Britons watch porn on unregulated sites since age verification crackdown, warns charity
Fears Online Safety Act is pushing porn users to unregulated sites
- New research by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation reveals that nearly half of UK porn users have accessed unregulated websites since age verification rules were introduced last summer under the Online Safety Act.
- The charity warns that these unregulated sites could expose users to harmful and illegal content, potentially leading them down a pathway to child sexual abuse material.
- A significant number of users who visited these unregulated sites reported encountering uncomfortable content (39%) or being put off the site entirely (40%).
- While age verification has prompted many to reduce their porn consumption (47%) and reflect on their use (55%), it has also led to a surge in VPN usage, peaking in mid-August, to bypass restrictions.
- The Foundation highlights young men aged 18-24 as an "at-risk group," with 51% expressing concern about their pornography use, and offers a helpline for those worried about their behaviour.