Pornhub to Block New UK Users After Online Safety Act Age Verification Rules Take Effect
Adult content platform Aylo limits access for unverified British users from February amid disputes over age-checking requirements
Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, has announced that it will block access to its adult content sites, including Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, for new users in the United Kingdom from February 2 next year in response to the country’s Online Safety Act and its age verification requirements.
The decision affects visitors connecting from UK internet addresses who have not already completed the required age verification process under the law, while users who have previously verified their age will retain access through their existing accounts.{{turn0search0}}{{turn0search3}}
The Online Safety Act’s ‘‘Protection of Children’’ codes, which came into force in mid-2025, require websites that host pornography to implement ‘‘highly effective’’ age assurance measures to prevent minors from accessing explicit material online.
Methods prescribed under the framework include age-estimating facial scans, uploading government identification, credit card checks and similar mechanisms that demonstrate a user’s adult status.
The regulations are enforced by the UK communications regulator, which said earlier that dozens of major platforms have taken steps to comply with the rules.
Aylo executives criticised the effectiveness of the current age verification regime, saying that despite compliance over the past six months, the law had not made adult sites meaningfully less accessible to under-18s and that the system had diverted traffic to unregulated corners of the internet and risked user privacy.
The company said after reviewing its operations that it could no longer participate in the ‘‘flawed’’ framework and would restrict new UK user access.
The parent company has implemented similar restrictions in France and in states within the United States, citing comparable legal regimes.
Data shared by adult platforms and third-party analytics firms have shown a sharp decline in visits from UK users since age verification requirements were introduced, with Pornhub reporting that its UK traffic dropped by more than three-quarters.
The broader digital market has also seen increased use of virtual private networks as some users seek to access restricted services via servers outside the UK. The Online Safety Act’s age assurance provisions also apply to other social platforms and services hosting age-restricted content.
UK regulators have maintained that the provisions are necessary to protect minors online and have the authority to take enforcement action, which can include fines or blocking access for non-compliance.
Enforcement efforts have included investigations into platform adherence and actions against sites seen as falling short of the age verification standards.
The debate over the balance between child protection, user privacy and effective implementation of age checks continues within digital policy discussions in the UK.
The decision affects visitors connecting from UK internet addresses who have not already completed the required age verification process under the law, while users who have previously verified their age will retain access through their existing accounts.{{turn0search0}}{{turn0search3}}
The Online Safety Act’s ‘‘Protection of Children’’ codes, which came into force in mid-2025, require websites that host pornography to implement ‘‘highly effective’’ age assurance measures to prevent minors from accessing explicit material online.
Methods prescribed under the framework include age-estimating facial scans, uploading government identification, credit card checks and similar mechanisms that demonstrate a user’s adult status.
The regulations are enforced by the UK communications regulator, which said earlier that dozens of major platforms have taken steps to comply with the rules.
Aylo executives criticised the effectiveness of the current age verification regime, saying that despite compliance over the past six months, the law had not made adult sites meaningfully less accessible to under-18s and that the system had diverted traffic to unregulated corners of the internet and risked user privacy.
The company said after reviewing its operations that it could no longer participate in the ‘‘flawed’’ framework and would restrict new UK user access.
The parent company has implemented similar restrictions in France and in states within the United States, citing comparable legal regimes.
Data shared by adult platforms and third-party analytics firms have shown a sharp decline in visits from UK users since age verification requirements were introduced, with Pornhub reporting that its UK traffic dropped by more than three-quarters.
The broader digital market has also seen increased use of virtual private networks as some users seek to access restricted services via servers outside the UK. The Online Safety Act’s age assurance provisions also apply to other social platforms and services hosting age-restricted content.
UK regulators have maintained that the provisions are necessary to protect minors online and have the authority to take enforcement action, which can include fines or blocking access for non-compliance.
Enforcement efforts have included investigations into platform adherence and actions against sites seen as falling short of the age verification standards.
The debate over the balance between child protection, user privacy and effective implementation of age checks continues within digital policy discussions in the UK.
