tech
January 27, 2026
Pornhub to stop new UK users accessing site from next week
Company cites impact of mandatory age checks introduced in summer 2025 under the Online Safety Act
TL;DR
- Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube will cease new user access in the UK from February 2nd.
- The decision is a response to mandatory age verification introduced under the Online Safety Act (OSA).
- Pornhub reported a 77% drop in UK traffic since age checks were enforced in July.
- The company argues the OSA has driven users to unregulated sites and jeopardized privacy.
- VPN usage to bypass restrictions has more than doubled since age checks were implemented.
- Ofcom asserts that age assurance rules are flexible and proportionate, with 68 of the top 100 UK porn sites complying.
- Ofcom has investigated over 80 porn sites and issued a £1 million fine for non-compliance.
Continue reading the original article