Overview

• Over a dozen major adult sites including Pornhub, RedTube and YouPorn have confirmed they will deploy credit card checks, open banking and facial age estimation by the July deadline.
• Under the Online Safety Act, failing to meet Ofcom’s “highly effective” age assurance standards risks fines up to £18 million or 10 percent of qualifying global revenue.
• New data shows 8 percent of 8–14 year-olds, including 19 percent of boys aged 13–14, accessed online pornography in a month, prompting the crackdown.
• Ofcom has launched investigations into platforms such as 4chan and several file-sharing services over suspected failures to protect minors.
• Charities Care and the NSPCC have welcomed the requirement but urged rigorous enforcement and new legislation to close accountability gaps.