Pornhub owner Aylo says some UK Apple users who have completed device-based age checks will regain access after earlier Online Safety Act restrictions.
Pornhub will make its adult content available again to some UK Apple users, in a partial reversal of restrictions imposed as the site challenged Britain’s online age-check rules.
Parent company Aylo said Tuesday that UK users who have confirmed their age through Apple’s latest iOS system will be allowed back onto Pornhub. The change also applies to eligible iPad users running up-to-date versions of iPadOS, according to the company’s announcement.
The move matters because Pornhub has been one of the most visible test cases for the UK’s Online Safety Act rules requiring porn and other adult sites to keep children from accessing explicit material. In February, Aylo limited access for most UK users, allowing only people who had previously registered with Pornhub and verified their age to view adult videos.
Aylo has argued that the rules have not been applied evenly across the adult-content industry and said it would no longer participate in what it described as a flawed system. The company has also said device-level checks, rather than individual site checks, are a better way to prevent minors from reaching explicit content.
“With the release of iOS 26.4 Apple has introduced the world’s first ever device-based age verification solution for its users in the UK, a major first step towards a global solution that stands to better protect children everywhere,” said Alex Kekesi, Aylo’s head of community and brand. “As a result, today Aylo welcomes eligible age-confirmed UK iOS users back to Pornhub.”
Apple introduced its UK age-check updates in March. The system can assess whether a user is over 18 by considering the age of an Apple account, information from connected payment methods or a scan of identification documents. Some users complained they initially could not prove their age without a credit card or driving licence; Apple has since updated support information to include passports among documents supported for UK verification.
Ofcom, which enforces the Online Safety Act, said it remained in contact with Aylo and would examine the changes. “Services can implement age checks at device account level, but they must be confident they can demonstrate to Ofcom their process is highly effective,” the regulator said, adding that sites and apps remain responsible for preventing children from accessing porn in the UK.
Pornhub has said its UK traffic fell by more than 75% after stronger age checks were introduced, though some have questioned whether users were shifting to VPNs instead. Since the February restriction, many people trying to access Pornhub in the UK have been shown “safe for work” material rather than explicit videos.
The next question is whether Ofcom accepts Aylo’s reliance on Apple’s device-based checks as sufficient under the UK rules, and whether similar approaches are adopted by other adult sites or technology platforms.
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