From today, the United Kingdom requires age verification to access porn websites.

LondonStarting today, adults wishing to access online pornography from the United Kingdom must prove they are over 18 years of age using at least one of the seven age verification systems established by Ofcom, the British regulator of media and audiovisual content, whether television or streaming. This service will be provided by private companies, not the government.

The measure is part of the Online Safety Act, a law passed almost two years ago by the British Parliament that, in principle, seeks to reduce minors' exposure to harmful content on the internet, not just pornography, but also materials related to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, violence, and hate. Although there may be ways to bypass age verification controls—for example, by using a VPN, which could place the internet user in another geographical area where these requirements do not apply—experts themselves believe that access to pornographic websites can be significantly reduced.

A single statistic illustrates the magnitude of the figures that online pornography moves in the United Kingdom. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the adult website Pornhub attracted 185 million visits. 75% of these were from men, according to a projection made by Ofcom. And in subsequent years, consumption has stabilized. The latest report from the organization itself, Online Nation 2024, based on audience data from the company Ipsos Iris, revealed that the 29% of adults with internet access in the UK – around 13.8 million people – visited pornographic content services in May 2024. The figure is practically identical to that of 2023 (29%) and slightly lower than that of 2022 (31%).

The gender difference is equally notable, as previously noted: 43% of men connected to the internet access it, compared to 16% of women. Men represent 72% of the total audience on these platforms. The portal with the greatest reach continues to be Pornhub, and the monthly average consumption per person is 50 minutes. In any case, these data should be read with caution because they could be much higher, since Ofcom warns that an unknown number of users connect to this content with private browsing, and are beyond the control of any measurement.

Increasingly precocious minors

Regarding minors, according to another Ofcom study conducted between November 2024 and March of this year, 8% of children aged 8 to 14 visited a pornographic website or app, including 3% of children aged 8 to 9. The highest percentage is among 13-14-year-olds, with 19% accessing them. Among girls in that age group, the figure is 11%. The study only covers children up to the age of 14, but did not reflect the exposure of older teenagers, who are likely to exceed these figures. Thus, the total proportion of minors visiting porn sites may be much higher.

According to Ofcom data, 80% of UK adults support age controls as a way to protect minors. The organization emphasizes that the goal is not to censor legal content for adults, but rather to create an effective barrier that prevents children from viewing material to which they have no legal right to access. Platforms that do not comply with the new regulations face fines of up to 18 million pounds or 10% of their global revenue. In extreme cases, Ofcom could ask the courts to order a website to be blocked.

Despite majority support for the new legislation, several organizations have criticized the risks of the regulations. A group such as Big Brother Watch They warn that digital verification methods can be intrusive, lead to leaks of personal data, and exclude people who don't have access to such mechanisms—perhaps the weakest justification. They also warn of the danger of private companies managing information as sensitive as the identification of users of these portals and of the risk of a leak of the data of people who request age verification.

Some experts also believe that the law doesn't go far enough, as other harmful content—such as violent pornography or dangerous challenges on social media—will continue to be accessible to teenagers through other channels if there isn't much broader control and greater involvement from large technology companies.

A global context of increasing regulation

The British initiative is part of an international debate on the protection of minors online. In the United States, several states have begun legislating in this direction. The most extreme case is Florida, which, starting in 2025, prohibits children under 14 from having social media accounts. To verify age, platforms must implement documented identification systems, and for adolescents aged 14 to 15, parental consent is required before creating an account. This rule has become a precedent that other states, such as Utah and Arkansas, are considering emulating.

Furthermore, the US Supreme Court's decision last June upholding the constitutionality of age verification laws for accessing online pornography in Texas has reinforced this trend. The court established that minors do not have a constitutional right to consume pornographic content and that requiring identification from adults is an "ordinary and appropriate" measure to protect children. In Australia there is also age verification, while in Spain age verification systems are being tested with the so-called digital wallet and biometrics (AEPD), in addition to a anti-porn app.

There are other places where age verification generates far more controversy and legal wrangling. Ethical Capital Partners– suspended the service at the beginning of June, was suspended at the end of the same month by the Paris administrative court while it investigated whether the government decree was compatible with EU law.