Pornhub investigated over its age checks

Ofcom has launched an investigation into Pornhub owner, Aylo, over whether the site's new age checks are effectively stopping children from accessing adult content.

The regulator said in May that Pornhub started using a new age verification process for some users, which relied on a third party, Apple.

It said it had concerns that Aylo "may not have conducted sufficient due diligence and testing" before implementing this new process, and so it "may not be highly effective" at preventing children from seeing pornography.

In a lengthy statement given to the BBC, Aylo strongly defended its system for age verification while stressing it would cooperate fully with the investigation.

Under the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), sites that host pornographic material must use highly effective age assurance to ensure users are over 18, but it leaves it up to the service to decide the method of age-checking it will use.

Ofcom says as part of its investigation it will consider how Aylo implements its age verification processes and whether it conducted the "necessary due diligence" before it was implemented.

George Lusty, Ofcom's Director of Enforcement, said: "Online age checks are a vital protection to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful material, including pornography.

"We expect tech firms to ensure age checks are highly effective before introducing them. Anything less could leave children at risk."