Labour MP Jess Phillips has delivered a sarcastic response to news that the pornography website Pornhub has seen a dramatic collapse in its UK visitor numbers. The drop follows the enforcement of new age verification measures designed to protect children online.
"My Heart Bleeds": Minister's Sarcastic Reaction to Traffic Drop
Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, the Minister for the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy revealed the significant impact of the new rules. She stated that Pornhub, one of Britain's most visited adult sites, had seen a 77 per cent reduction in traffic since age checks were introduced in July 2025.
"I am very pleased to say that since age verification came in in July that Pornhub has seen a reduction of 77% in its traffic," Ms Phillips told MPs. She then added with heavy irony: "My heart bleeds for them." The minister described the data as the first "green shoots" showing the Online Safety Act is working.
MPs Demand Action on Violent Content and Misogyny
The update came in response to questioning from Sarah Owen, chair of the Women and Equalities Committee. Ms Owen pressed the government on whether it would "get tough" with major technology firms over their failure to shield young people from harmful material.
She highlighted how children are relentlessly targeted by algorithms promoting violent pornography and hateful content. "Our committee found that tech companies like X, Snapchat and TikTok continue to freely publish misogyny," Ms Owen stated.
Liberal Democrat spokesperson for women and equalities, Marie Goldman, echoed these concerns. She warned that teacher training alone would fail unless paired with robust online content moderation. "As long as violent, misogynistic content continues to reach children and adults online, this crisis will persist," Ms Goldman asserted.
Government Strategy to Ban Strangulation in Porn
In her reply, Minister Phillips agreed that exposure to violent pornography was a critical issue. She confirmed that part of the government's forthcoming strategy would include a ban on the depiction of strangulation in pornographic content.
Ms Phillips also pledged to hold technology companies accountable for their role. "I can absolutely guarantee that I will hold tech companies accountable," she said. "I think it's quite famously known that quite a lot of them aren't that keen on me, that I will hold them accountable for their behaviours, but also work with them in what is possible."
The dramatic 77% traffic fall for Pornhub represents one of the first major measurable impacts of the UK's Online Safety Act, signalling a potential shift in how adult content is accessed online.
