Pornhub’s parent company is pushing major technology companies to adopt device-level age verification systems, arguing that it is a more effective and privacy-preserving solution for keeping minors away from adult content.
According to VIRED, Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, recently sent letters to Apple, Google, and Microsoft urging them to support age authentication at the device level across their operating systems and app stores. The company argues that existing site-specific age checks are flawed, inconsistent, and easily bypassed.
Aylo says once a device confirms a user’s age, that verification signal could be shared through an API with adult platforms—eliminating the need for repeated checks or third-party ID upload services.
Growing Patchwork of Age Verification Laws
The appeal comes as age verification legislation continues to spread across the United States and the United Kingdom. Many of these laws require users to upload government IDs or other personal documents to view explicit content.
Twenty-five U.S. states have already passed such laws, each with its own guidelines, creating what Aylo describes as a fragmented and ineffective regulatory landscape.
Pornhub claims this patchwork has driven traffic away from compliant sites. In Louisiana—one of the first states to enforce ID checks—the platform saw an 80% drop in traffic. A similar decline occurred in the UK following new safety regulations.
Privacy Concerns and User Behavior Shifts
Aylo argues that placing the responsibility on individual websites creates privacy risks and pushes users toward unregulated platforms.
The company reports a sharp rise in searches for alternative adult sites that lack age controls, potentially exposing audiences to unsafe or illegal content. Industry groups warn that strict verification laws redirect users to foreign platforms hosting pirated or harmful material.
Tech Industry Responses
Google says it remains committed to child safety online and is developing new age assurance tools. The company notes that adult entertainment apps are already banned from Google Play and that high-risk services must meet their own legal standards.
Microsoft and Apple did not comment directly but pointed to their existing online safety frameworks and parental controls. Apple emphasized that filters for under-18 users are enabled by default.
Ineffective Enforcement and Circumvention
Research from policy organizations and universities indicates that current age verification systems are easily circumvented, often through VPNs or by accessing platforms that ignore regulations.
Industry experts compare the situation to Prohibition-era consumer behavior, arguing that restrictive laws fail to stop access and instead bolster illegal or unsafe alternatives.
Wider Impact on the Internet Ecosystem
The surge in child protection and age assurance laws extends beyond adult content. Social media and gaming platforms are also being affected, with regulations increasingly restricting youth access. For example, Australia will soon prevent users under 16 from accessing several major social platforms.
Some critics say political groups pushing for stricter controls aim to curtail the adult industry entirely, while verification providers stand to profit from expanded regulatory requirements.
Pornhub: “A Shared Responsibility”
Pornhub maintains that it supports protecting minors and has taken steps to improve safety and transparency, including enhanced verification for uploaders and tools that direct users searching for harmful content to counseling resources.
Aylo believes device-based verification could serve as a universal solution, with each device starting as “kid-safe” until unlocked by a verified adult user. The company sees recent legislation in California—requiring app store age authentication—as a promising model for future national legislation.