Overview

• The Online Safety Act’s mandatory rules took effect on July 25, requiring all pornography publishers and high-risk platforms to deploy one of seven approved “highly effective” age-verification technologies.
• Ofcom reports that roughly 6,000 adult websites, including Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, plus social media services such as Reddit, X and Grindr, have implemented the new checks.
• Platforms that fail to comply risk fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, and Ofcom can seek court orders to block noncompliant sites in the UK.
• Ofcom research found that 8% of children aged eight to 14 visited an online pornography site or app in a month, underpinning the regulator’s mandate to shield minors.
• Privacy and safety advocates warn of fraud and evasion tactics—from deepfake IDs to VPN workarounds—and note that smaller or defiant sites may become refuge for underage users.