英国通信管理局就年龄核验机制对Pornhub母公司展开调查UK Watchdog Ofcom Investigates Pornhub Owner Aylo over Age Verification Checks

英国通信管理局正式对Pornhub的母公司Aylo展开审查，核心在于评估该网站采取的新型年龄验证手段是否切实履行了保护儿童免受色情内容侵害的法定责任。监管机构对Aylo在部署相关机制时的合规把关提出了明确质疑，重点审查该公司在将新验证流程推向英国用户前，是否按规定完成了必要的尽职调查与技术测试。

The UK communications regulator Ofcom has opened a formal probe into Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, examining whether the adult platform's updated age verification measures fulfill legal duties to protect children from seeing pornographic material. The watchdog's central focus rests on assessing the company's preliminary vetting, specifically investigating whether Aylo conducted necessary due diligence and thorough technical testing before deploying the new verification system to British users.

监管部门在通报中指出，如果技术提供方在缺乏充分测试和尽职核查的情况下上线年龄核验通道，整套流程可能无法达到法律要求的高有效性标准，从而使未成年人仍然暴露在接触不当网络材料的潜在风险之中。Ofcom表示，本次调查的实质是核查Aylo是否采取了切实的审查行动来确保防护手段真正奏效，媒体已就该调查向Aylo提出置评请求。

Regulators stated that deploying age verification checks without rigorous prior evaluation creates a tangible risk that the mechanism may not be highly effective at barring underage visitors from explicit content. Ofcom emphasized that the statutory inquiry will review the concrete steps Aylo took to verify its systems before implementation, while media outlets have reached out to Aylo seeking an official response to the enforcement action.

Pornhub在5月开始对部分用户启用了一套依赖第三方技术的新型年龄验证流程，该机制具体接入了苹果公司的系统服务。监管机构调查的焦点在于Aylo在接入该外部方案时，是否对技术整合的有效性与安全性进行了全面预审，以核实其能否可靠识别出试图访问成人内容的未成年人。

In May, Pornhub began implementing a new age verification mechanism for selected users that relies on a third-party framework, specifically integrating with Apple's platform. The regulatory inquiry focuses on evaluating how Aylo handled this external integration and whether the company conducted adequate vetting to ensure the technical interface reliably prevents children from reaching adult material.

英国通信管理局明确划定了调查界限，重申此次法定审查仅围绕Aylo自身如何实施年龄验证及履行前置尽职调查展开。监管机构强调不会对苹果公司自身的年龄核验操作方式启动调查，此案的核心法律责任完全落在作为内容服务提供方的Aylo身上。

Ofcom clearly delineated the legal boundaries of the probe, confirming that its scrutiny is confined strictly to Aylo's implementation decisions and pre-launch due diligence. The regulator stated that it will not investigate how Apple operates its own age verification checks, keeping the statutory responsibility directly on the adult content operator.

依据英国《网络安全法》的相关条款，承载或分发色情材料的在线平台承担着明确的法定义务，必须建立并执行高度有效的年龄确认机制，以确实核实访问者年满18周岁。英国通信管理局对科技企业设定了清晰的合规门槛，要求平台在正式上线任何年龄核验方案前，必须确保其具备充分的拦截效能，防止未成年人接触有害的成人内容。

Under the provisions of the UK's Online Safety Act, online platforms that host pornographic material are legally mandated to implement highly effective age assurance systems capable of confirming whether a user is over 18. The statutory framework requires content operators to establish rigorous barriers before deploying protective measures, placing the burden of child safety directly on internet services that distribute adult media across the country.

监管机构具备严格的法定执法权限。按照法律规定，英国通信管理局有权对违反《网络安全法》规定的不合规企业处以最高1800万英镑或其全球年营业额10%的罚款，处罚金额按两者中较高的一项执行。监管部门表示，如果科技公司采用的防护机制无法达到法定的有效标准，未成年人将持续面临暴露于不适宜网络内容的直接风险。

The regulatory regime provides Ofcom with substantial enforcement powers against platforms that fail to meet these statutory duties. Non-compliant companies face potential financial penalties reaching up to £18 million or 10 percent of their annual global turnover, depending on which figure is greater. Regulators emphasized that technology firms are expected to confirm their age verification processes are fully effective prior to release, warning that anything less leaves children exposed to harmful online material.

本次调查反映出监管机构与该成人网站长期以来的规则分歧。Pornhub曾表示，随着《网络安全法》实施更严格的年龄核验要求，其英国用户访问流量在2025年10月暴跌超过75%。当时外界出现疑问，认为部分英国用户可能转而使用虚拟专用网络（VPN）来绕过相关年龄验证限制。

The regulatory inquiry marks the latest friction between the UK watchdog and the adult platform over mandatory access controls. Pornhub previously reported that traffic from UK users plunged by more than 75 percent in October 2025 following the introduction of more robust age checks under the Online Safety Act. The steep decline prompted questions over whether domestic web users were turning to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass the legal restrictions instead of verifying their age.

2026年1月，Pornhub宣布对英国大部分用户限制网站访问权限，仅允许此前已创建账户的用户登录查看内容。Aylo当时表示，法律中强制推行年龄验证的更新举措未达到保护未成年人的既定目标，反而将流量驱赶至缺乏监管的网络隐秘角落。直到5月，该公司宣布对在苹果最新iOS操作系统上完成年龄确认的部分英国用户恢复网站访问，随后该机制引发了监管部门的合规调查。

In January 2026, Pornhub announced that it would restrict general access to its website across the UK, permitting only individuals who had previously registered an account to view content. Aylo asserted that statutory updates mandating age checks had not achieved their intended goal of protecting minors, claiming the rules had diverted internet traffic toward unregulated corners of the web. Pornhub subsequently reopened partial access in May for UK Apple users who confirmed their age through updated iOS devices, a rollout that led directly to the current inquiry.