Pornhub returns to Australia after Apple rolls out age verification

Australian adults will soon be able to use Pornhub again. Its parent company, Aylo, said it would restore access now that Apple has introduced age verification at the device level.

Why access was cut

In March, Aylo blocked Australian users after new online safety codes required adult websites to confirm that visitors were at least 18, with potential fines of up to $49.5m for non-compliance. The company said at the time that the rules would not protect minors and would create privacy risks, since users had to hand personal data to age-verification providers.

Soon after the block, three VPN apps that let users appear to be outside Australia shot up the download charts. According to Sensor Tower, they have since dropped out of the rankings.

Apple's approach

Aylo's vice-president for brand and community, Alex Kekesi, said Pornhub would return because Apple now offers age checks in iOS at the device level. Apple launched the feature in Australia last month, after introducing it in the UK earlier this year.

People can confirm their age with a credit card or by scanning a passport, driver's licence or government ID. Existing Apple account holders can be checked using the card already on file or the length of time they have held the account. Until a user is verified as an adult, content filtering and limits on downloading apps rated 18+ remain in place.

Kekesi said Apple's model enables child-safety features automatically for users who have not verified their age. He urged Apple to roll the feature out worldwide and called on Microsoft and Google to follow.

Criticism and UK scrutiny

When Aylo imposed the block in March, the eSafety commissioner's office described it as a business decision. The sex worker advocacy group Scarlet Alliance warned of a "chilling effect" on platforms and over-filtering of content, including sexual health information.

The UK rollout has been bumpy: media regulator Ofcom is investigating whether minors can still access the site. Aylo said it would cooperate fully with the inquiry.