Pornhub has announced that starting 2 February, new users in the UK will no longer be able to access its website. Only people who have already registered an account can continue using the platform.
The move comes after updates to the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA), which requires explicit sites to implement stricter age verification checks. Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company, said the law “has not protected minors” as intended and has instead driven traffic toward unregulated sites.
Ofcom’s Stance on Age Verification
Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, said these age checks are achieving their goal of preventing children from seeing adult content. A spokesperson stated that porn sites must either implement age verification or block access in the UK.
Officials continue to engage with Aylo to understand why the company has decided to block new users.
Aylo’s Response
Alex Kekesi, head of community and brand at Aylo, described the decision as “difficult.” She pointed out that legal, regulated porn sites will block new UK users, while thousands of irresponsible sites remain accessible.
Kekesi explained that Pornhub initially complied with the law, believing Ofcom could enforce it effectively. However, six months after the rules took effect, she said the law has failed to meet its objectives.
Government and Expert Opinions
A spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reminded platforms that the OSA does not ban adults from viewing legal content. They must ensure children under 18 cannot access it, and there are multiple ways to achieve this.
Legal and cybersecurity experts agree that while the law aims to protect minors, determined users can still bypass restrictions using VPNs. Research also shows that adult usage of regulated porn sites has fallen, suggesting that similar restrictions may impact younger users as well.
Technical Measures Could Help
Aylo suggested that device-level controls, implemented by Apple, Google, and Microsoft, could provide more effective age verification. Solomon Friedman, Aylo owner, said that the law itself is flawed, not the regulator, and that device-level measures could protect children efficiently and preserve privacy.
Ofcom added that tech firms are free to develop such methods if they are proven effective. Experts caution that no single solution is perfect, as VPNs and other workarounds can bypass controls.
Impact on Other Aylo Sites
Other sites owned by Aylo, including YouPorn and Redtube, will follow the same restrictions. Users attempting to access Pornhub without an account will encounter a warning wall instead of content.
