Pornhub restores access to explicit content for some UK users

Pornhub began only showing ‘safe for work’ content to most UK users in February (Picture: Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Pornhub will be made available to some UK users again, more than three months after the site blocked access for most people.

Parent company Aylo blocked access to the porn website in February for all users who not previously registered and verified their age.

The move was triggered by the Online Safety Act, which they said meant visitors are flocking to sites that are non-compliant to age check laws.

But on Tuesday Aylo said they would allow Apple users who had confirmed their age with their iOS system back on the site.

Apple users who have verified their age with the new update are set to benefit (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The latest version of iOS – Apple’s operating system – introduces age checks for UK iPhone users.

The update in March has seen UK users be prompted to complete Apple’s age checks.

These verify someone’s age by considering how long they have had an account, scanning their ID or using information from connected payment methods.

Pornhub’s owners have argued that device-level checks like this are the most effective way to enforce age restrictions with the Online Safety Act (OSA).

 Alex Kekesi, head of community and brand at Aylo, said: ‘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.

‘As a result, today Aylo welcomes eligible age-confirmed UK iOS users back to Pornhub.’

The OSA has drastically altered the trajectory of the UK’s most popular porn website.

In October, Aylo said the law change had caused traffic to fall by 77 per cent.

The OSA had caused Pornhub traffic to fall by 77 per cent (Picture: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

After the company blocked access to most UK users in February, anyone who want visit was met with ‘safe for work’ content rather than explicit videos.

An spokesperson for Ofcom, which enforces the OSA, said: ‘We remain in close contact with Aylo, and will carefully scrutinise these changes.

They added the responsibility to prevent children accessing porn in the UK ‘falls firmly on sites and apps’.

‘Services can implement age checks at device account level, but they must be confident they can demonstrate to Ofcom their process is highly effective, and be ready to provide us with detailed information on this when we demand it.’

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