Ofcom probes Pornhub age checks

What's happened

Ofcom has opened an investigation into Pornhub’s age verification process, examining whether Aylo’s device-level checks are highly effective under the Online Safety Act. The regulator says the service provider bears responsibility for age assurance and is concerned that due diligence and testing may have been inadequate. A fine could reach up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.

What's behind the headline?

Critical analysis

• What the headlines obscure: the core issue is accountability for age checks, not the tech provider’s method. Ofcom is clear that the onus lies with Aylo to ensure effectiveness, regardless of Apple’s role.
• Behind the scenes: the timing aligns with broader Online Safety Act enforcement and renewed calls for robust age verification across platforms.
• Who benefits? The public, especially children, benefits from stronger safeguards; providers face tighter penalties and reputational risk.
• Next steps: Ofcom will assess due diligence and test results; a finding of non-compliance could trigger substantial fines and stricter oversight.
• Reader impact: readers should expect platform operators to tighten age-verification processes and invest in privacy-preserving, robust checks.
• Forecast: if Aylo fails to meet the standard, enforcement will likely increase and could shape industry-wide implementations.

How we got here

Ofcom’s inquiry follows Pornhub’s May rollout of a device-level age-verification approach using Apple’s system for some UK users after blocks on new UK sign-ups. The regulator notes progress in age checks since July 2025 but stresses more action is needed as the UK government implements an under-16 social media ban next year.

Our analysis

BBC Business quotes Ofcom director of enforcement George Lusty; The Guardian reports Oncom’s investigation into Aylo’s age checks; Politico notes the regulatory framing under the Online Safety Act.

Go deeper

• What does this mean for users in the UK?
• Will other platforms face similar scrutiny?
• When can we expect concrete results from Ofcom’s investigation?

More on these topics

• Apple Inc. - Technology company

  Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services.

• United Kingdom - Country in Europe

  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country located off the north­western coast of the European mainland.

• Pornhub - Pornographic video sharing website owned by Aylo

  Pornhub is a Canadian-owned Internet pornography video-sharing website, one of several owned by adult entertainment conglomerate Aylo (formerly MindGeek / Manwin / Mansef). As of August 2024, Pornhub is the 16th-most-visited website in the world and the..

• Ofcom - Telecommunications company

  The Office of Communications, commonly known as Ofcom, is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.