Aylo Restricts Pornhub Access in U.K. Over Age-Checks
Aylo will block new U.K. users from Feb. 2, 2026, saying the Online Safety Act drove a 77% traffic drop.
Overview
Aylo announced that it will block access for new users in the United Kingdom from Feb. 2, 2026, while existing accounts that completed age verification will retain access, Alex Kekesi, Aylo's head of community and brand, said.
The move follows the Online Safety Act's age-verification requirements that took effect on July 25, 2025, and Aylo said U.K. traffic to its sites fell 77% after those rules, a claim an Ofcom spokesperson disputed, saying the requirements are fulfilling their purpose.
Ofcom said it has opened investigations into more than 80 porn sites and fined one provider £1 million, and an Ofcom spokesperson said the regulator will continue dialogue with Aylo over compliance.
Solomon Friedman of Ethical Capital Partners, which owns Aylo, said regulators lack the legislative tools to succeed and presented research showing six of the top 10 Google results in the United Kingdom for "free porn" were not complying with age-verification rules.
Aylo urged Apple, Google and Microsoft to implement device-level age assurance and said it will press for technical and legislative changes, while the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said services "must stop children accessing this material by putting robust age assurance in place," a department spokesperson said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Aylo’s UK block as a privacy-driven business response, foregrounding Aylo’s critique of the Online Safety Act while acknowledging Ofcom’s rebuttal. Editorial choices — leading with Aylo’s rationale, highlighting a past data breach, and stating "These fears are not unfounded" — lend credibility to privacy concerns.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The Online Safety Act is a UK law requiring platforms hosting pornographic content to implement highly effective age assurance measures to prevent children under 18 from accessing it. The age-verification requirements took effect on July 25, 2025.
Aylo is blocking new UK users due to a 77% traffic drop following the Online Safety Act's age-verification rules, claiming the regulations make operations unsustainable.
Existing UK accounts that have completed age verification will retain access, while new users will be blocked from February 2, 2026.
Ofcom disputes Aylo's 77% traffic drop claim, stating the requirements are working, has investigated over 80 porn sites, fined one £1 million, and will continue dialogue with Aylo.
Ofcom recommends highly effective methods like facial age estimation, photo ID matching, credit card checks, mobile network operator checks, and digital identity services, but does not mandate specific ones.
History
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