British regulator takes a hard look at Pornhub's Apple-powered age checks

Ofcom, the British communications regulator, has initiated an investigation into Pornhub's Apple-based age verification system for its adult content. The inquiry will assess whether Aylo, Pornhub's parent company, has met its age assurance obligations under the Online Safety Act (OSA), which began in July 2025. In May 2026, Pornhub introduced a new age verification process for UK users, utilizing signals from Apple to confirm that a user may have completed Apple's age checks.

Ofcom emphasized that its investigation concerns how Aylo implemented and tested this process, not Apple's system itself. After implementing the new age verification process, Pornhub restricted access for new UK users on February 2, while existing verified users retained access. Following a significant decline in UK traffic, Aylo partially lifted the restriction for eligible UK users who had confirmed their age through Apple in May.

However, users on Android, PCs, and other platforms remained barred from accessing the site. Ofcom's director of enforcement, George Lusty, emphasized the importance of robust age checks to protect children from inappropriate content. The regulator will evaluate the effectiveness of Pornhub's age assurance process and whether Aylo conducted adequate testing and due diligence before deployment.

If Ofcom finds potential noncompliance, it may impose fines of up to £18 million or 10% of the company's global revenue, whichever is greater.