Ofcom Investigates Pornhub's Age Checks on Apple iOS Devices

Ofcom, the United Kingdom's digital regulator, has initiated a new regulatory investigation into Aylo's flagship adult website, Pornhub.com, to determine the effectiveness of its age checks implemented through Apple iOS devices.

Investigation Details

The investigation, announced on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, by Ofcom, focuses on whether Aylo's device-based age assurance on Apple iOS devices, such as iPhones and iPads, is "highly effective" in preventing minors from accessing adult content. George Lusty, Ofcom's director of enforcement, stated that the investigation will uncover if Aylo is in violation of the country's Online Safety Act of 2023. Lusty emphasized that online age checks are a vital protection against children encountering inappropriate or harmful material, including pornography, and that tech firms are expected to ensure age checks are highly effective before introduction.

Ofcom's initial assessment indicated no clear indicator as to whether Aylo has complied with its duties to prevent children from encountering pornographic content. Aylo integrated with Apple devices to receive age signals between the device and the website. Apple introduced a built-in device-level age verification solution for its U.K. users with the release of iOS update 26.4 in late March 2026. Apple holds over 50 percent of the mobile phone market in the United Kingdom, with millions of users identified as adults over the age of 18.

Despite this, Ofcom is not convinced that Aylo met all obligations to ensure minors are prevented from accessing Aylo’s websites through U.K.-based Apple devices. Ofcom stated that providers must conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of whether their service is likely to be accessed by children before making significant changes to the design or operation of their service, or in response to evidence about reduced effectiveness of age checks. The regulator expressed concern that Aylo may not have conducted sufficient due diligence and testing before implementing its new age assurance process, leading to concerns that the process may not be highly effective at preventing children from seeing pornography.

The investigation will consider how Aylo implements its age verification processes and whether it conducted the necessary due diligence before implementation. Ofcom stressed that its investigation concerns how Aylo implemented and tested the resulting process, not how Apple operates its system.

Industry Response and Implications

A spokesperson for Aylo stated that Ofcom is mistaken regarding its claims. Alex Kekesi, the vice president of brand and community for Aylo, shared in a separate statement that four months after the successful launch of age verification on Pornhub for eligible adult users in the U.K. who confirmed their age through Apple’s U.K. age-verification process, Ofcom informed them of the investigation. Kekesi affirmed Aylo's commitment to working constructively with Ofcom and Apple in their shared commitment to child protection. Aylo is prepared to provide technical evidence, testing, and supporting assessments, and will cooperate fully with the investigation.

Apple, with a market capitalization valued at $4.9 trillion, did not return AVN's requests for comment. Ofcom's investigation into Aylo's adoption of age-signals implicitly investigates the effectiveness of Apple’s age assurance technology. If the investigation finds that a company has broken the law, Ofcom can require platforms to take specific steps to come into compliance or remedy harm caused by the breach. Fines can be imposed of up to £18 million (nearly $24 million) or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater.

Corey Silverstein, a U.S.-based attorney specializing in adult entertainment industry clientele, noted that this development is an important lesson for other adult companies. Silverstein observed that Pornhub apparently did implement age assurance, but Ofcom is questioning whether Aylo conducted sufficient due diligence and testing before relying on age signals provided through Apple. He stated that the message from Ofcom to the broader adult industry is becoming increasingly clear: simply deploying an age-verification solution may not be enough. Operators serving U.K. users should be prepared to demonstrate why their chosen technology satisfies the "highly effective" standard under the Online Safety Act.

Silverstein also suggested that this investigation raises a larger issue for the technology industry. If platforms cannot reasonably rely upon age-assurance signals generated by major technology companies and device ecosystems, it risks creating a fragmented system where consumers are repeatedly required to prove their age to individual websites, with consequences for privacy, data minimization, and the overall practicality of online age assurance.

Background on Age Verification

Under the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), sites that host pornographic material must use highly effective age assurance to ensure users are over 18. The Act leaves it up to the service to decide the method of age-checking it will use. Since July 2025, all sites and apps that allow pornography need to have age checks in place to prevent children accessing adult content under the U.K.'s Online Safety Act.

Pornhub blocked all unregistered U.K. users in February, stating that the site had suffered a fall in traffic as visitors moved to non-compliant sites. Pornhub argued that only device-based checks conducted by companies like Apple and Google would level the playing field. In May, the site announced it would be accessible again to Apple users due to the company introducing age checks as part of its latest iOS software update. Aylo partially reversed the restriction for eligible UK users who had confirmed their age through Apple. Pornhub had restricted new UK users on February 2 after arguing that the OSA had diverted visitors toward less regulated sites rather than protecting children. Existing users who had already verified their age retained access. Pornhub's UK visits reportedly fell 47 percent shortly after the rules took effect and were down 77 percent by October.

Key Facts

• Ofcom launched an investigation into Aylo's Pornhub.com on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
• The investigation concerns the "highly effective" nature of age checks implemented through Apple iOS devices.
• George Lusty, Ofcom's director of enforcement, stated the investigation will determine compliance with the Online Safety Act of 2023.
• Aylo's vice president of brand and community, Alex Kekesi, stated Aylo is committed to cooperating with Ofcom and Apple.
• Ofcom can impose fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue for non-compliance.
• Corey Silverstein, an attorney, noted the investigation highlights the need for adult companies to demonstrate their chosen age verification technology satisfies the "highly effective" standard.