Ofcom Investigates Pornhub Owner Aylo Over UK Age Verification Checks

Ofcom has launched an investigation into Pornhub owner Aylo to determine whether the site’s new age-verification system is effective enough to prevent children from accessing adult content.

Why Ofcom Is Investigating Aylo

In May, regulators announced that Pornhub had introduced a new age-verification process for some users. The system relies on a third party—in this case, Apple—to verify users’ ages.

Ofcom said it was concerned that Aylo “may not have conducted sufficient due diligence and testing” before introducing the process. The regulator also said the system “may not be very effective” at preventing children from viewing pornography.

As part of the investigation, Ofcom will examine how Aylo implemented the age checks and whether the company carried out the “necessary due diligence” beforehand. The investigation will not examine how Apple uses age checks.

The BBC has contacted Aylo for comment.

Online Safety Act Age-Check Requirements

Under the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA), websites hosting pornographic content must use highly effective age-assurance methods to determine whether users are over 18.

Ofcom’s executive director, George Rusty, said: “Online age verification is an important safeguard to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful content, including pornography.”

“We expect technology companies to ensure that age checks are highly effective before introducing them. Failure to do so could put children at risk.”

Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom can fine companies up to £18 million or 10% of their global annual turnover, whichever is greater.

Pornhub’s Previous Dispute With UK Regulators

The investigation is the latest clash between regulators and one of the world’s most viewed pornographic websites.

In October 2025, Pornhub said traffic from UK users had fallen by more than 75% following the introduction of stricter age checks under the Online Safety Act.

Some people have questioned whether users are simply using virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent the checks.

In January, Pornhub announced that it would restrict access to its website in the UK. The company cited increased checks intended to ensure that only users who had previously created a Pornhub account could access its content.

Aylo said the law’s age-verification requirement had “failed to achieve its purpose of protecting minors” and had “directed traffic to dark, unregulated corners of the internet.”

However, in May, the company announced that it would make the site available again to some Apple users in the UK. These users had to verify their age using the latest version of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system.