Pornhub will block new users in the UK next month | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Pornhub will block new users in the UK next monthComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsPornhub will block new users in the UK next monthStarting February 2nd, Pornhub will block UK users who haven’t verified their age.Starting February 2nd, Pornhub will block UK users who haven’t verified their age.by Emma RothCloseEmma RothNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma RothJan 27, 2026, 4:35 PM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: The VergeEmma RothCloseEmma RothPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.Pornhub will soon begin restricting UK users from accessing its website in response to the country’s “failed” online safety regulations, according to an announcement on Tuesday. The site’s owner, Aylo, says it will block users who haven’t already verified their age on the platform starting February 2nd, 2026, as reported earlier by 404 Media.As part of efforts to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act, Pornhub began requiring users in the country to provide proof of their age by uploading a government ID, entering a credit card, through their mobile network, or using another method.The UK’s Online Safety Act became law in 2023 with the goal of preventing kids from accessing “harmful” material online. But rules mandating “strong age checks” under the legislation came into force last year, impacting porn sites and other platforms like Bluesky, Xbox, Reddit, and Discord. Many users have already found ways around this, whether it involves using a virtual private network (VPN) or tricking age-estimating face scans.RelatedThe UK’s new age-gating rules are easy to bypassThe UK is slogging through an online age-gate apocalypseAylo claims the Online Safety Act makes the internet “more dangerous” for children, while harming the privacy of users in the UK. “We cannot continue to operate within a system that, in our view, fails to deliver on its promise of child safety, and has had the opposite impact,” Aylo’s announcement says. “We believe this framework in practice has diverted traffic to darker, unregulated corners of the internet, and has also jeopardized the privacy and personal data of UK citizens.”People who have already gone through the age verification process on Pornhub will still be able to access the site by logging in, while everyone else will get shut out after February 2nd, according to the post. The block will also apply to the other adult websites owned by Aylo, including YouPorn and Redtube.Pornhub has already gone dark in nearly two dozen states across the US, including Florida, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Utah, and others, in response to local age verification laws.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Emma RothCloseEmma RothNews WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Emma RothNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsPolicyClosePolicyPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PolicyPoliticsClosePoliticsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All PoliticsSpeechCloseSpeechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All SpeechMost PopularMost PopularTikTok USA is brokenPayment processors were against CSAM until Grok started making itEven the big dick subreddit is mad about ICETikTokers are heading to UpScrolled following US takeoverIntel Panther Lake laptop CPU review: call it a comebackThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Pornhub will block new users in the UK next month, a response to the country’s “failed” online safety regulations, according to an announcement from its parent company, Aylo, published on January 27, 2026, by 404 Media. Starting February 2nd, 2026, Pornhub will block UK users who haven’t verified their age. This action follows the implementation of the UK’s Online Safety Act of 2023, which mandates “strong age checks” for platforms like Pornhub, Bluesky, Xbox, Reddit, and Discord. Numerous users have already circumvented these measures through VPNs and facial recognition attempts. Aylo contends that the Online Safety Act has created a more dangerous online environment for children and jeopardized the privacy of UK citizens by driving traffic to unregulated sites.

Existing Pornhub users will retain access via login, while new users will be blocked. This restriction extends to other Aylo-owned adult websites, including YouPorn and Redtube. Similar measures have already been enacted in nearly two dozen US states, including Florida, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Utah, and others, in response to local age verification laws. The core of the dilemma stems from the Online Safety Act’s attempt to proactively prevent children’s access to harmful online content. However, Pornhub’s perspective is that this legislation has proven ineffective and has resulted in a shift of users to less regulated areas of the internet, alongside concerns about user privacy. The company’s decision highlights a broader challenge in balancing online safety efforts with the potential for unintended consequences and user privacy concerns.