Pornhub says the UK’s flexible approach to age checks could become a model for the world but experts warn there’s no one-step fix for keeping users safe online.

• Alex Kekesi urged UK officials to adopt device-level age checks instead of site-by-site verification.

• She said the UK’s flexible system enabled Pornhub’s compliance, unlike other countries where the site blocked access.

• Aylo preferred non-biometric options like email verification and denied fines were the main motivator.

• Experts agreed no single method is enough; layered safety measures are needed for effective online protection.

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Traffic to Pornhub from the United Kingdom has fallen by more than three-quarters since July, following the launch of stricter age verification rules for adult websites under the Online Safety Act. The company argues that platforms ignoring these new rules are gaining more users as a result.

Although the BBC has not confirmed the claim, Google statistics reveal that searches for Pornhub have dropped by nearly 50% since the regulations took effect. This decline might mean fewer people are watching adult content, but it could also indicate that many are using private browsing tools such as VPNs, which conceal a person’s true location.

Pornhub remains the world’s largest adult website and ranks among the top twenty most visited sites globally, according to Similarweb. Under the new law, anyone in the UK attempting to view such content must now verify that they are above 18, using methods like facial scans or identity checks.

Experts say this policy shift is reshaping online habits. Data from Ofcom shows that visits to adult sites in the UK overall have dropped by around 30% within three months of enforcement. The regulator stated that the measure is achieving its main goal—keeping minors from accidentally encountering explicit material online.

Ofcom also reported that daily VPN usage in the UK surged to about 1.5 million people when the law began but has since declined to roughly one million. A separate study by Cybernews found over 10 million VPN app downloads in 2025 from the country’s major app stores.

Researchers suggest that many users, wary of sharing personal details to prove their age, are turning to VPNs to bypass restrictions. Because these tools disguise IP addresses, website traffic figures may not accurately reflect true visitor locations.

Cybernews analyst Aras Nazarovas confirmed that VPN use is widespread, noting that downloads skyrocketed—one provider saw an 1,800% jump. He added that some of Pornhub’s “lost” UK audience is actually being counted as traffic from other countries, while others have likely moved to platforms that do not demand age verification.

Massive Growth

Alex Kekesi, an executive at Aylo—the company behind Pornhub—told the BBC that the new UK age-verification rules are impossible to enforce.

She argued that Ofcom faces an overwhelming challenge, as it would need to monitor roughly 240,000 adult websites accessed by about eight million UK users each month. Yet, the regulator has acted against fewer than 70 sites so far.

Ofcom says it investigates platforms based on their potential risk and the size of their audience. Kekesi claimed that some adult sites ignoring the regulations have actually gained more visitors, though the BBC has not confirmed this claim.

She also expressed alarm about content appearing on certain non-compliant websites, noting that one appeared to promote searches for material involving underage girls. Aylo says it has passed information about such sites to Ofcom.

The regulator defended its approach, saying that rising site traffic can prompt an inquiry and that websites exposing minors to harmful content should expect penalties.

According to Ofcom, all ten of the UK’s most visited adult sites now use age verification systems, covering about one-fourth of national visits. It added that over 75% of traffic to the top 100 platforms also goes to those enforcing age checks.

The UK government backed the regulator, emphasizing that child safety online remains a major priority and promising swift action if stronger measures are needed.

Should Devices Be Programmed to do the Checks?

During her visit to the UK for meetings with Ofcom and government representatives, Alex Kekesi argued that age verification should happen at the device level rather than being handled by each website individually.

She noted that the UK is unique in successfully convincing Pornhub to introduce age verification measures. In other regions that demanded similar checks, the site chose to block access instead of following local rules.

According to Kekesi, the UK’s flexible approach—allowing multiple verification options—made compliance possible. She said Pornhub preferred email-based methods that avoid storing personal or biometric information. She also dismissed the idea that the threat of large fines was the main reason for cooperation, pointing out that in France, the company shut off access instead of meeting stricter requirements.

Ian Corby from the Age Verification Providers Association disagreed with the idea of device-based verification but agreed that all platforms should meet consistent and reliable standards.

Cybersecurity expert Chelsea Jarvie, who is studying online safety tools at Strathclyde University, said both site-level and device-level age checks will be necessary, as no single method can guarantee full protection. She explained that ensuring online safety requires multiple layers of control throughout a person’s browsing experience.

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