Pornhub to block access to new UK users from February 2: What you need to know

Pornhub will begin restricting access to its website for new users in the United Kingdom from 2 February, a move that has reignited debate over the impact of the UK’s Online Safety Act and the enforcement of tougher age-verification rules for adult content.

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The adult platform, which remains the most visited porn website in the UK, says only users who already have verified accounts will be able to access its content once the restriction takes effect. New visitors will instead encounter what the company describes as a digital “wall”, preventing access unless they had previously registered.

Pornhub is owned by Aylo, a global adult entertainment company that also operates popular sites such as YouPorn and RedTube. Aylo says the decision was a difficult one, arguing that recent legal changes have not achieved their intended purpose.

According to the company, traffic to Pornhub from the UK has fallen by about 77% since age-verification requirements were introduced last summer.

She warned that while mainstream platforms face restrictions, “thousands of irresponsible porn sites” remain easily accessible online. The restrictions stem from the Online Safety Act (OSA), a major piece of UK legislation aimed at making the internet safer, particularly for children.

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The law requires online platforms, including pornography websites to put robust age-assurance measures in place to stop under-18s from accessing explicit material.

These measures can include identity checks, payment verification or other approved age-check systems.Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, is responsible for enforcing the Act. Its remit covers broadcasters, telecoms providers and online platforms, with powers to issue fines or take enforcement action against companies that fail to meet their safety obligations.

Ofcom has insisted the tougher age checks are working, saying they have reduced the risk of children stumbling across inappropriate material online. A spokesperson for Ofcom said pornographic services have a clear choice: comply with the law by implementing age checks or restrict access to UK users altogether.

The regulator added it would continue engaging Aylo to understand its decision.The government has also defended the legislation. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which oversees digital policy and the Online Safety Act, said the law does not prevent adults from viewing legal content.

It simply requires platforms to ensure children cannot access it, something the department says can be achieved in several ways without forcing companies to exit the UK market. Pornhub was among thousands of adult websites that initially introduced age-verification systems when the rules came into force.

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However, Aylo now says six months of experience suggests the policy is failing to meet its core objective of child protection, while unintentionally pushing users toward less regulated sites. The same access restrictions will apply to other Aylo-owned platforms, including YouPorn and RedTube.

The move is expected to intensify scrutiny of how the Online Safety Act is being enforced, and whether it is striking the right balance between protecting children and regulating adult access online.