Pornhub’s parent company Aylo says it will soon limit access to unverified users in the UK, tightening compliance with the country’s age-assurance requirements. Adults who have already completed age checks will keep full access, while anyone who has not verified will hit a block screen with instructions on how to proceed.
The move extends beyond Pornhub to Aylo’s other free sites, including RedTube and YouPorn. Paid services remain available because an active credit card is treated as a form of age assurance under industry guidance.
Who Will Be Blocked In The UK Under Pornhub’s New Rules
UK visitors who have not passed an age check on Pornhub’s free sites will be cut off. Returning users who previously verified their age can continue as normal, and subscribers to Aylo’s paid platforms will still be admitted because payment credentials provide a basic age signal.
On the block page, UK users should expect a plain-language notice outlining why access is restricted and how to verify. A similar approach has been used in other markets where regulators demand strict age assurance.
Why The Policy Is Changing Under The UK Online Safety Act
The UK’s Online Safety Act requires commercial pornography services to stop minors from accessing adult content, with Ofcom as the regulator. Aylo initially signaled cooperation, citing work with Ofcom and support for less intrusive verification methods. But the company now argues that uneven industry compliance and easy VPN workarounds have distorted the playing field.
Aylo has said Pornhub’s UK traffic plunged by 77% after it began aligning with age checks. The company contends that non-compliant competitors have benefited, while compliant platforms absorbed the user drop. That mismatch, coupled with enforcement still ramping up, appears to have pushed Aylo toward a harder gate for unverified users.
Under the Act, Ofcom can levy substantial fines and pursue access restrictions for services that refuse to follow the rules. Those powers are intended to bring holdouts into compliance and reduce incentives to sidestep age checks.
How Age Checks Work And Privacy Options For UK Users
Age assurance can be done in several ways, including third‑party verification of a government ID, a bank card check, mobile operator age flags, or privacy‑preserving age estimation using a selfie that only returns an age result. The Online Safety Act does not mandate a single method, but it stresses proportionality, effectiveness, and data minimisation.
Aylo says it supports less intrusive options, and UK users will likely see multiple verification routes. Certification schemes such as the Age Check Certification Scheme have emerged to audit providers, and Ofcom’s guidance encourages approaches that verify age without harvesting personal browsing data.
For subscribers, card transactions act as an age gate because payment networks require users to be adults. That is why paid Aylo sites are not included in the new block—though services still must safeguard minors from seeing explicit previews.
What It Means For Platforms And Regulators
Aylo has pressed major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Microsoft, to enable stronger filters and distribution policies that support age‑restricted access. Those ecosystem controls—spanning app stores, browsers, and search—could make it harder for non‑compliant adult sites to attract UK traffic.
Ofcom’s enforcement roadmap foresees escalating measures against services that ignore the law, from warnings and fines to court‑backed access restrictions. Industry analysts expect more geoblocking or splash screens if compliance remains uneven, echoing tactics used in France and some US states when age‑verification laws tightened.
The Bottom Line For UK Users Navigating Age Checks
If you have already verified your age on Pornhub’s services, little will change. If you have not, you will need to complete an age check to regain access to free sites. Expect a straightforward on‑screen explanation of acceptable methods and privacy protections.
The broader picture is still in flux: the Online Safety Act’s regime is maturing, regulators are turning guidance into enforcement, and platforms are testing what works at scale. Aylo’s decision underscores the new reality—age assurance is no longer optional in the UK, and users who want access will have to prove they are adults.
