New users in the United Kingdom will be unable to access Aylo’s pornography sites, including Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube, starting Monday. The company announced this decision, citing recent changes to age verification requirements that it claims have made the internet less safe.
Existing users who have already verified their age will continue to have access, according to a statement released by Aylo last week. This move comes in response to the UK’s mandate on age verification for pornography websites, which was enforced in July 2025 as part of the Online Safety Act. The legislation aims to prevent children from encountering pornographic content online.
Impact of the Online Safety Act
In the six months since the age verification laws were implemented, the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) reports that the top 10 most visited pornography platforms in the UK have complied. Pornhub, however, claims that traffic to its site has dropped by 77%. Initially, there was a surge in the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass restrictions, but this trend has since plateaued, according to Ofcom.
Despite the apparent success of the laws, Aylo, the Canadian parent company of Pornhub, argues that the age verification framework has inadvertently made the internet more dangerous. The company claims that it has driven traffic to darker, unregulated corners of the internet, where noncompliant sites offer potentially harmful or illegal content.
Expert Opinions and Skepticism
Experts have offered varied perspectives on the effectiveness and implications of the age verification laws. Iain Corby from the Age Verification Providers Association stated that it is too early to determine the laws’ impact on children’s access to pornography. He noted that specific data will not be available until Ofcom releases its annual Children’s Media Use and Attitudes survey in the spring.
“Research from Internet Matters shows children are using VPNs at the same rate as before the changes, suggesting early success,” Corby pointed out.
Ian Henderson, founder and chief executive of the UK charity Naked Truth Project, highlighted the decrease in Pornhub’s traffic as evidence that the laws are effective in preventing accidental exposure to pornographic content. Research by the UK Children’s Commissioner indicated that 27% of surveyed children had seen pornography by age 11, often by accident.
However, there are concerns about adults being exposed to more harmful content. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a UK nonprofit, reported that 45% of surveyed individuals had visited noncompliant sites to avoid sharing personal information, with 39% encountering uncomfortable content.
Industry and Legal Perspectives
Clare McGlynn, a law professor at Durham University, expressed skepticism about Aylo’s motives, suggesting the decision is part of a calculated public relations campaign to challenge current legislation. She believes the move aims to galvanize public opposition to content restrictions and age verification.
Henderson also questioned Aylo’s intentions, emphasizing the difference between compliance and genuine concern for user safety. “They’re a profit-making company,” he remarked. “Any platform would prefer to have registered users that they have control over.”
An Ofcom spokesperson confirmed widespread adoption of age verification since the laws were introduced, noting strong enforcement actions, including investigations into over 80 porn sites and a £1 million fine imposed on a noncompliant provider.
Global Implications and Future Trends
Aylo’s decision aligns with its actions in other regions, including the United States, where it has restricted access in states with similar age verification laws. McGlynn noted that these moves are intended to spark debate and potentially reverse legislative trends on age assurance.
Age verification is gaining traction globally. The European Commission has developed an Age Verification Blueprint to assist online platforms in member states with implementing privacy-preserving methods. Canada is revisiting legislation to restrict young people’s access to pornographic material, and Australia will enforce strict age verification from March 9 as part of its online safety efforts.
Aylo stated its commitment to collaborating with the UK, European Commission, and other international partners to inform future policymaking based on lessons learned in the UK.
