New age-check mandates for adult content sites drive users to unregulated platforms while regulators clash over data protection risks.
As the UK implements strict facial recognition checks for porn sites under its Online Safety Act (10 July 2024), new data reveals a 20% surge in VPN usage across regulated markets. Privacy watchdogs warn that rushed implementations could expose users to greater risks through unmonitored platforms and questionable data practices.
The Enforcement Tightrope
UK regulator Ofcom finalized guidance on 10 July 2024 requiring adult platforms to implement ‘highly effective’ age checks under the Online Safety Act. Approved methods include facial recognition analysis and verified credit card checks. However, cybersecurity firm Surfshark reported on 8 July that VPN adoption jumped 20% in countries with similar laws this year, with 63% of users explicitly citing age checks as their motivation.
Digital rights advocate Monica Horten told TechPolicy Watch: ‘When the UK first attempted age verification in 2019 through the Digital Economy Act, the technical infrastructure simply didn’t exist. Today’s tools create new problems – either you collect sensitive biometric data or push users toward Tor networks.’
Privacy Backlash Intensifies
France’s CNIL data authority opened a formal investigation into AgeID on 12 July 2024, Europe’s largest age-verification provider. The probe focuses on alleged GDPR violations regarding data retention periods and third-party sharing practices. AgeID’s system, used by Pornhub and XVideos, requires users to submit government ID or banking details.
Dr. Emily McReynolds from the University of Washington’s Tech Policy Lab warns: ‘These systems create honeypots of sensitive data. Unlike healthcare records, adult platforms lack strong security mandates. A breach could expose someone’s sexual orientation before they’ve told their family.’
Historical Patterns Resurface
Current debates echo previous attempts to filter online content. The UK’s abandoned 2017 porn-block plan collapsed due to technical flaws and privacy outcries. Similarly, Australia’s 2021 age-verification law saw 31% of users switch to VPNs within six months, according to QUT research.
The EU’s approach under the Digital Services Act reflects lessons from past overreach. Instead of mandating specific tools, it requires ‘proportionate’ verification methods. As European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier noted: ‘We must avoid solutions worse than the problem – children deserve protection without creating surveillance systems.’
