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 relies on a third party, in this case 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.

Under the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), sites that host pornographic material must use highly effective age assurance to ensure whether a user is over 18.

The BBC has approached Aylo for comment.

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.

It will not investigate how Apple operates its age checks.

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."

Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom holds the power to fine non-compliant companies up to £18 million or 10% of their annual global turnover, whichever is greater.

This probe is just the latest clash between the regulator and what is one of the world's most viewed porn sites.

In January, Pornhub announced it would restrict access to its website in the UK blaming the tougher age checks introduced as part of the OSA.

Aylo said that updates to the Act requiring age verification had "not achieved its goal of protecting minors" and had "diverted traffic to darker, unregulated corners of the internet".

However, in May, it said it would be making the site available again for some UK Apple users who had confirmed their age with the company's most up-to-date version of iOS, its mobile operating system.