Pornhub Proposes Device‑Based Age Verification to Replace Flawed Site‑Level Checks

Pornhub’s parent company has shifted its public strategy: instead of forcing adult websites to verify age separately, it is asking Apple, Google and Microsoft to enact age checks at the device level—once per device—arguing the current fragmented, site‑based model is failing.

What We Know

Aylo, which owns Pornhub, Brazzers, RedTube and YouPorn, sent letters this week to Apple, Google and Microsoft urging them to implement device‑based age verification across app stores and operating systems. The proposal calls for age to be verified once per device and conveyed to sites via a secure API. Aylo labels site‑based checks as “fundamentally flawed and counterproductive,” citing drops of around 80% in traffic in Louisiana and the UK after those jurisdictions enacted ID‑based age‑verification laws. Experts cited by Aylo say the current approach drives users to unregulated, unsafe sites. Apple, Google and Microsoft declined to elaborate, instead referring to existing child‑safety tools or app‑level policies.

Operational Impact

Pornhub has blocked access in several U.S. states where ID‑based age checks are required, saying the laws pose privacy risks and require users to submit sensitive personal data across multiple sites. In Louisiana, this compliance resulted in an 80% traffic decline; a similar drop occurred in the UK following implementation of the Online Safety Act. Aylo warns that site‑based rules are difficult to enforce and leave a patchwork of compliance.

Competitive & Privacy Considerations

Device‑based verification would theoretically streamline user access while reducing repeated exposure of personal data to third parties. Aylo argues this better preserves privacy and shifts enforcement to platform providers rather than individual sites. Critics warn, however, that embedding age verification into devices risks producing a universal digital ID with privacy and surveillance implications.

What’s Next

Aylo views California’s recent Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) as a partial model—it mandates age checks at the app‑download level. Whether Apple, Google or Microsoft will consider integrating broader device‑level age signals into their platforms remains to be seen. Regulatory developments in the EU, with an age‑verification app launching mid‑2025 and a full digital identity wallet by 2026, will also influence global standards.