New Porn Rules In England: Upload ID Or Can't Watch!

JAKARTA - Internet users in the UK are flocking to look for VPNs to avoid new rules requiring age verification to access pornographic sites.

Since Friday, July 25, 2025, porn sites in the UK are required to carry out strict age checks, including methods such as uploading official identities and facial scans to ensure users aged 18 years and over.

Big platforms like Pornhub, YouPorn, RedTube, Cam4, and others have told regulators Ofcom that they have implemented this system. Social media such as Reddit, Discord, Grindr, Bluesky, and X (Twitter) were also affected.

However, instead of obeying the rules, online searches for VPN services immediately jumped more than 700 percent on Friday morning, suggesting that thousands of people were immediately looking for ways to trick this system.

VPN (Virtual Private Network) makes users appear to be surfing from other countries, so they can access sites without being exposed to local rules.

Criminal law expert Marcus Johnstone told The Independent that restrictive attempts like this would not stop access to dark forums or dark webs, where online exploitation often occurs.

This rule does not touch the dark side of the internet. People who intend to still be able to access illegal or harmful content through other channels," he said.

What Is The Working Age Verification System?

According to Ofcom, there are seven methods that adult sites can use to ensure user age:

- Photo ID (such as passport or SIM)

- Age detection through face (using AI)

- Check from cellular operator

- Credit card verification

- Estimation of age from email address

- Digital identity service

- Open Banking (age data access through the bank)

For example, an AI-based system can guess the age of a face photo, while a method such as an automatic credit card filters users under 18 because they can't get it legally in the UK.

Some methods are relatively simple. For example, simply enter an email address and the system will assess whether you are old enough based on the track record of registering other accounts.

Fines And Sanctions For The Stubborn

Ofcom insists that all platforms that allow access to pornographic content, including social media, will be subject to this rule. If they do not comply, the site can be fined up to 18 million pounds or 10% of any greater global revenue.

If the site remains stubborn, Ofcom could ask the court to block access to the site in the UK.

Oliver Griffiths of Ofcom stated that this rule is a major step to protect children in the digital world, such as regulations that limit access to alcohol and gambling in the real world.

However, many parties also voice concerns about data privacy. Users are reluctant to submit sensitive information such as passports to porn sites, for fear of data being misused.

"Since 2016 we have known that people will not be comfortable giving names, let alone official documents, to porn sites," said Iain Corby of the Age Verification Providers Association.

Efforts to implement age verification on porn sites have been planned since 2016, including being included in the 2017 Digital Economy Act, but was canceled in 2019 due to implementation and privacy issues.

Now, the rule is revived through the Online Safety Act 2023, which aims to create a secure digital space for all ages.

On the one hand, this rule is aimed at protecting children from exposure to adult content. On the other hand, the surge in VPN searches and concerns over privacy indicate that many adults are not ready to share their identities for personal online activities. The government is now faced with the challenge of balancing child protection and digital privacy rights.