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Aylo Rejects UK Age Verification Mandate
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub and other major adult platforms, announced on January 27, 2026, that it will block access for UK users effective February 2, opting out of the country's age-verification requirements under the Online Safety Act (OSA).
The decision marks a significant escalation in the global debate over mandatory age checks for pornographic content. Since the OSA's implementation last year, Aylo had initially complied by verifying user ages before displaying adult material. However, after six months, the company concluded the framework failed to protect minors and instead drove traffic to unregulated sites while exposing users to privacy risks.
"Despite the clear intent of the law to restrict minors’ access to adult content and commitment to enforcement, after 6 months of implementation, our experience strongly suggests that the OSA has failed to achieve that objective," Aylo stated. The firm argues that age-verification systems jeopardize user data, diverting visitors to "darker, unregulated corners of the internet."
This move aligns with Aylo's strategy in the US, where it has blocked access in states like Texas, Louisiana, and others mandating age verification for adult sites. The company cites the inherent risks of collecting sensitive personal data, such as government IDs or biometric scans, which could lead to breaches.
These concerns are substantiated by real-world incidents. Pornhub itself was impacted by a data breach via Mixpanel, its web analytics provider, exposing Premium subscribers' emails, locations, viewing habits, and timestamps. Such vulnerabilities underscore Aylo's position that no verification tech is foolproof against hackers.
The UK's OSA, enforced by Ofcom, requires porn sites to prevent under-18 access using "highly effective" methods, often involving ID uploads or facial age estimation. Non-compliance risks fines up to 10% of global revenue or site blocking. Aylo's exit leaves UK userspreviously verified ones exceptedunable to access platforms like Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube.
Background on age verification tech reveals a patchwork of solutions. Firms like Yoti use biometrics, while others rely on credit card checks or digital wallets. Critics, including privacy advocates, warn these create honeypots for cybercriminals. A 2025 Louisiana study found increased VPN usage post-mandate, suggesting users bypass restrictions via unverified channels.
Aylo's statement highlights enforcement gaps: despite OSA intent, minors still access content via VPNs or peers. The company claims verified UK traffic dropped, implying shifts to riskier alternatives without safety features like content moderation.
Impact extends beyond users. UK regulators face pressure as major platforms withdraw, potentially shrinking taxable ad revenue and complicating enforcement. Globally, this could inspire similar pushback; France and Australia have comparable laws, with Aylo monitoring compliance costs versus blocks.
Technical deep dive: Age verification often employs AI-driven facial analysis, matching selfies against age databases with 99% claimed accuracy. Yet, deepfakes and adversarial attacks erode trust. Data flows involve third-party processors, multiplying breach vectorsMixpanel's slip exposed hashed data, but paired with other leaks, it deanonymizes users.
Under Armour's recent breach, claiming 72 million records including emails and locations, illustrates broader risks in consumer data handling, though unrelated directly. Ireland's spyware proposal adds to surveillance tensions, but Aylo's case spotlights commercial pushback.
Ofcom has not commented on Aylo's block, but past fines against non-compliant sites signal resolve. Users can expect geoblocking via IP detection, with VPN circumvention possible but risking terms violations.
This development tests the balance between child safety and adult privacy, with Aylo betting blocks preserve trust over flawed verification.