The UK is investigating Pornhub. Heres what Pornhub says about it.

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has begun an investigation into Pornhub, the world's most popular adult website, under the country's Online Safety Act. This law mandates explicit websites to implement robust age checks requiring personal data, such as a government ID, before granting access. Pornhub announced in January 2026 that it would restrict access for unverified users due to the Act's shortcomings, which include the presence of noncompliant sites.

However, Pornhub later restored access for adults confirming their age through Apple's UK age-verification process, a device-level verification method that allows users to verify their age once, on their iPhone. This approach is seen as less invasive and less risky from a privacy and security standpoint, as it doesn't require repeated uploads of sensitive information and doesn't impede free speech rights.

During the investigation, Ofcom will assess whether Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, has complied with the Online Safety Act, specifically focusing on the effectiveness of its age assurance measures and conducting a children's access assessment. Ofcom's director of enforcement, George Lusty, emphasized the importance of highly effective age checks in preventing children from accessing inappropriate content.

Pornhub's vice president of brand and community, Alex Kekesi, welcomed the investigation, stating that they have done their due diligence and are confident in Apple's age-verification process as of today. Kekesi also expressed that Pornhub would remain transparent and public about its interactions with Ofcom during the investigation.

Despite the investigation, Pornhub will continue to operate in the UK as usual for verified adults, and less than five percent of consumers go through age-verification for adult content, according to the Free Speech Coalition.