has launched an into Aylo, the company behind , to establish whether it has failed to comply with the .
The communication regulator’s investigation comes after Aylo restricted access for most new UK visitors in February 2026, following the rollout of stricter age-checking requirements by the UK government.
Aylo began allowing some UK users to regain access to the site in May after Apple introduced built-in age verification for iPhone and iPad users.
Is Pornhub doing enough to protect under-18s?
The investigation centres on whether Pornhub is doing its due diligence to stop under-18s accessing NSFW content after introducing it’s new age-checking system.
Ofcom is questioning whether Pornhub’s new Apple-based age verification system is sufficiently effective at keeping children off the site.
In a news release issued by Ofcom, it highlighted concerns that Aylo “may not have conducted sufficient due diligence and testing before implementing its new age assurance process”.
“As a result, we are concerned that Aylo’s process may not be highly effective at preventing children from seeing pornography,” Ofcom said.
What is Ofcom investigating?
Ofcom explicitly states it will not assess how Apple operates its age checks. The investigation will specifically examine whether Aylo:
- Used highly effective age assurance to prevent children from seeing pornography.
- Completed a suitable and sufficient assessment of children’s access before changing its system.
George Lusty, Ofcom’s Director of Enforcement, highlighted the importance of protecting under-18s from “inappropriate or harmful material”.
In full, he said: “Online age checks are a vital protection to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful material, including pornography. We expect tech firms to ensure age checks are highly effective before introducing them. Anything less could leave children at risk.”
If Ofcom ultimately finds a breach, it can order Aylo to take corrective action and impose a fine of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater.