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If you live in the UK, you probably won’t be able to visit Pornhub anymore
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, is blocking access to its sites in the UK effective February 2, 2024, rather than verifying users' ages as required by the Online Safety Act (OSA). The company argues OSA has failed to protect minors and exacerbates privacy issues. Ofcom counters that compliance is possible and is taking action against non-compliant sites, while concerns about age verification technology persist.
Key points
- Aylo announced to block UK access to its sites instead of complying with age verification laws.
- The Online Safety Act (OSA) mandates age verification to protect minors from adult content.
- Aylo argues that the OSA has failed and funnels traffic to unregulated sites, risking user privacy.
- Ofcom, the UK regulator, disagrees and emphasizes enforcement against non-compliance.
- Aylo's concerns over age verification relate to potential data breaches, evidenced by a past breach affecting Pornhub Premium subscribers.
Why it matters
- The OSA's implementation reflects a global trend towards stricter online content regulations by 2025.
- Concerns over privacy and data security in age verification technologies echo broader privacy advocacy trends emerging in numerous jurisdictions.
- Similar legislative actions are being observed in other regions, affecting how adult content is regulated online.
Aylo's decision to block UK access to Pornhub underscores the ongoing tension between user privacy, safety regulations for minors, and the complexities of compliance in the rapidly changing landscape of online content regulation.