UK Government to Enforce Age Checks on Porn Sites Under New Online Safety Rules

The UK Government is set to introduce stricter age verification rules for adult websites as part of a wider effort to protect children online. From 25 July, major pornography platforms such as Pornhub, Stripchat, and Jerkmate will be required to implement more robust systems to ensure users are over 18. The change, brought in under the Online Safety Act, aims to address long-standing concerns about how easily underage users can access explicit content on the internet.

Under the new regulations, platforms must go beyond simple self-declared age checks. Instead, they’ll need to use approved methods such as official ID checks, facial age estimation, mobile network data, or credit card verification. These systems are designed to be more reliable while maintaining a balance with user privacy. The goal, according to Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, is to protect children without unnecessarily collecting sensitive personal information.

Several major platforms have already signalled their intent to comply. Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, confirmed it will use age assurance tools that meet the government’s standards. Ofcom has made it clear that websites failing to meet the requirements by the deadline may face serious consequences. These include fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover, and potentially being blocked from operating in the UK.

Supporters of the move say the changes bring digital protections more in line with real-world standards, where age restrictions are routinely applied for things like alcohol sales, gambling, and films. They argue that parents and guardians have long had limited tools to prevent children from accessing adult content, and that this reform could help close that gap.

However, some experts have raised concerns that stricter controls might push underage users toward more obscure or unregulated sites, which could expose them to even greater risks. Even so, the broad direction has been welcomed by many as a long-overdue step in updating online safety standards.

As the 25 July deadline approaches, the focus will now turn to implementation and whether these measures strike the intended balance between protection, privacy, and effectiveness.

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