At a Glance
- Aylo will block UK access to Pornhub and related sites effective February 2.
- The move follows the company’s claim that the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) has failed to protect minors.
- Ofcom disputes Aylo’s assessment and highlights enforcement actions against non-compliant sites.
- Why it matters: The decision signals a shift in how porn platforms respond to age-verification laws and raises questions about privacy, data security, and regulatory enforcement.
Aylo, the parent company behind Pornhub, announced on Tuesday that it will block access to its platforms in the United Kingdom, effective February 2. The company cited the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) as a catalyst, arguing that the law has not prevented minors from accessing adult content and has diverted traffic to unregulated parts of the internet.
The Online Safety Act and Age Verification
The OSA, enacted last year, requires pornographic websites to verify the ages of visitors before showing content that is unsuitable for minors. Compliance involves cloud-based age-verification services that collect sensitive user data.
Aylo’s statement claimed:
> “Despite the clear intent of the law to restrict minors’ access to adult content and commitment to enforcement, after 6 months of implementation, our experience strongly suggests that the OSA has failed to achieve that objective. We believe this framework in practice has diverted traffic to darker, unregulated corners of the internet, and has also jeopardised the privacy and personal data of UK citizens.”
The company’s approach is to block access entirely, while allowing UK users who have already verified their identity to continue using their accounts.
Ofcom’s Counter-Response
Ofcom, the regulator enforcing the OSA, disagreed with Aylo’s framing. In a statement to the outlet, Ofcom said:
> “Porn services have a choice between using age checks to protect users as required under the Act, or to block access to their sites in the UK. There’s nothing to stop technology providers from developing solutions which work at the device level, and we would urge the industry to get on with that if they can evidence it is highly effective.”
Ofcom also highlighted enforcement actions against non-compliant sites:
> “We’ve taken strong and swift action against non-compliance, launching investigations into more than 80 porn sites and fining a porn provider £1 million, with more to come.”
Controversy Over Age-Verification Technology
Age-verification methods mandated by the OSA rely on cloud-based services that can store large amounts of personal data. Privacy advocates argue that these methods expose adults to unnecessary data collection.
Aylo noted that in other jurisdictions it has been one of the few major platforms to comply, only to see traffic diverted to larger, non-compliant sites. The company pointed out that, so far, only the forum 4chan has been fined for non-compliance.
Data Breach Context
Aylo’s decision is consistent with its stance on age verification in the United States, where it has blocked access in several states. The company cites concerns that age-verification software could increase the risk of data breaches.
A notable incident involved a breach at Mixpanel, a web and mobile analytics provider used by Pornhub. The breach exposed data about some Premium subscribers, including email addresses, locations, videos watched, associated keywords, and timestamps of site usage.
Implications for UK Users and the Industry
- UK users who have verified their age can still access their accounts, but those who have not will be blocked.
- The move may reduce the number of UK visitors to Pornhub, potentially shifting traffic to other platforms or unregulated sites.
- Regulators may face pressure to refine enforcement mechanisms or clarify compliance expectations.
- Privacy advocates may use the case to push for stricter data-handling standards in age-verification services.
Key Takeaways
- Aylo’s block is a direct response to perceived failures of the OSA.
- Ofcom maintains that enforcement is active and that compliance is still an option.
- The incident highlights broader concerns about data privacy, age verification, and regulatory enforcement in the adult-content sector.
The outcome of this clash between a major content provider and a national regulator will likely influence future policy and industry practices surrounding online safety and age verification.
