Beginning July 25, popular adult websites in the UK - including Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube - will roll out strict age verification checks to prevent children from accessing explicit content online.
The move is part of the Online Safety Act, a sweeping set of regulations aimed at protecting minors from harmful material on the internet, the BBC reports. Enforced by UK regulator Ofcom, the law applies not only to adult content platforms but also to social media, search engines, and gaming services that host or link to pornographic content.
Websites that fail to implement adequate age assurance systems could face heavy fines or even be blocked in the UK.
At least 14 major adult sites have confirmed they will adopt what are described as "highly effective" age checks. These may include credit card verification, open banking authentication, and facial age estimation technology
The full list of platforms that have agreed to be publicly named includes:
- Pornhub
- YouPorn
- RedTube
- Tube8
- Stripchat
- Cam4
- MyDirtyHobby
- Jerkmate
- Streamate
- FrolicMe
- BoyfriendTV
- LiveHDCams
- inxxx
“Society has long safeguarded children from age-restricted products like alcohol, tobacco, and gambling,” said Oliver Griffiths, Ofcom’s Group Director for Online Safety, via ITV. “It’s time the internet followed suit.”
“For too long, children have been just a click away from harmful online pornography,” Griffiths continued. “These new measures will align digital protections with real-world standards, while ensuring that adult users still maintain access and privacy.”
Under the new rules, platforms are also required to ensure their systems don’t violate user privacy or block legal access for adults. Many adult content publishers have already adopted similar safeguards, but the upcoming deadline ensures uniform compliance across the industry.
Recent Ofcom research found that 8% of UK children aged 8 to 14 visited an online porn site or app in a single month, with 3% of those children aged just 8 or 9, per Sky News.
The alarming statistics have accelerated calls for stronger protections, with the Online Safety Act now seen as a critical step in minimizing early exposure to explicit material online.