Ofcom Investigates Pornhub's Apple-Based Age Checks Under UK Online Safety Act

Ofcom has launched an investigation into whether Pornhub owner Aylo met its age assurance obligations under the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA) after reopening access to some UK iPhone users in May 2026. The company's new process relies on signals from Apple indicating a user may have completed Apple's own age checks. Ofcom has been clear that it is scrutinising how Aylo implemented and tested this system, not how Apple's underlying age verification works.

The move follows a turbulent period for Pornhub in the UK. Aylo blocked new UK users in February after arguing the OSA pushed visitors toward less regulated, potentially riskier sites rather than protecting children, a decision made after UK traffic reportedly dropped 47 percent shortly after the rules began and 77 percent by October. In May, Aylo partially reversed course for new users who had verified their age via Apple, though those on Android, PCs and other platforms remain blocked.

Ofcom will examine whether the age checks are genuinely effective and whether Aylo carried out adequate testing and due diligence before rolling them out. Under the OSA, services must reassess their child-access risk whenever they make significant changes or when evidence suggests their checks are weakening. If Ofcom provisionally finds a breach, Aylo will get a chance to respond before any final decision. Penalties can reach £18 million or 10 percent of global qualifying revenue, whichever is higher.