UK regulator to investigate Pornhub parent company for alleged age verification failings

The UK’s communications regulator on Wednesday announced it is investigating Pornhub parent company and service provider Aylo due to concerns about whether the firm is complying with the country’s Online Safety Act by rigorously vetting porn viewers’ ages.

Age checks are a key plank of the law, which requires “highly effective” age assurance techniques be used to verify whether a user is at least 18.

In May, Pornhub began using a new age assurance process to verify some users’ ages, according to an Ofcom press release. The new method relies on signals from Apple that suggest under 18s in the UK “may have completed Apple’s age checks,” the press release said.

“The Online Safety Act is clear that it is the service provider’s responsibility to ensure that any age assurance process is highly effective – no matter at what stage an age check occurs.”

Providers must assess whether their service is likely to be used by children before making major changes to the “design or operation of their service, or in response to evidence about reduced effectiveness of age checks,” the press release said.

Ofcom believes that Aylo may not have done enough due diligence and testing before deploying its new age verification method, the press release said, citing concerns that as a result children may still be viewing Pornhub content.

“Online age checks are a vital protection to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful material, including pornography,” said George Lusty, director of enforcement at Ofcom. “We expect tech firms to ensure age checks are highly effective before introducing them. Anything less could leave children at risk.”

Ofcom plans to collect evidence into whether Aylo’s safeguards failed and from there determine if the company violated the law. At that point, Aylo will be given the opportunity to respond before Ofcom formally decides whether to issue a fine or an order to remedy deficiencies. 

If the probe ultimately finds Aylo is out of compliance, Ofcom will demand they strengthen their age assurance techniques and impose fines of up to £18 million ($23.8 million) or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue.

An Aylo spokesperson said that Ofcom has previously praised the Apple age verification methods it uses. Earlier this year, Ofcom reportedly called Apple’s decision to deploy age checks on UK devices “a real win for children and families.”

“We trust that the investigation will show Apple’s UK device-level age-verification update, which renders devices operating since iOS26.4 kid safe by default, offers one of the strongest and hardest to circumvent protections currently available for helping prevent minors from accessing age-inappropriate content,” Alex Kekesi, vice president for brand and community at Aylo, said in a statement.

“We are committed to working constructively with Ofcom and Apple in our shared commitment to child protection.”