Pornhub has said it will block access to all UK users that haven’t already generated an account on 2 February due to the “failed” Online Safety Act (OSA).
Online platforms were given until July last year to adhere to new age verification rules under the OSA or face the prospect of fines. But while many larger porn sites quickly implemented the system to stay compliant, lesser-known sites chose to flout the rules in order to capture internet traffic from users that did not want to sign up for an account.
After the implication of the new rules, use of VPNs (virtual private networks) surged in the UK as they allow users to access the sites from other countries with less stringent regulations.
Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company that also owns sites including RedTube, Tube8 and YouPorn, said it would no longer participate in “the failed system that has been created in the United Kingdom”.
The firm said that by pushing users towards sites choosing not to stick to the regulations, the OSA had actually...