Pornhub has resumed access for Australian users following the implementation of new age-verification measures on Apple devices designed to comply with local legal requirements. The adult website, owned by Aylo, had initially blocked Australian traffic in March after new online safety codes mandated that adult sites verify users as at least 18 years old, under threat of fines up to A$49.5 million.
Aylo had expressed concerns that the government’s age-checking requirements would fail to effectively protect minors while potentially compromising user privacy by mandating the submission of personal information. Following the block, several virtual private network (VPN) applications saw a surge in downloads in Australia, as users sought to bypass the restrictions by masking their location.
On Wednesday, Aylo’s vice-president for brand and community, Alex Kekesi, announced that Pornhub would restore access in Australia after Apple introduced device-level age-verification features on iOS. This development followed a rollout of similar measures in the United Kingdom earlier this year.
Under Apple's system, users in Australia confirm their age through a process that can include validating credit card details, scanning official identification such as passports or driver’s licenses, or relying on account longevity and existing payment information. Until age verification is complete, content filtering and restrictions prevent access to apps marked for users 18 and older.
Kekesi described Apple’s approach as establishing a strong benchmark for child safety, highlighting the automatic activation of protective features for users who have not yet verified their age. He said this method offers “one of the strongest and hardest-to-circumvent protections” currently available to help prevent minors from accessing adult content.
Aylo plans to grant access to Pornhub users in Australia who pass Apple’s age-verification process. Kekesi praised Apple’s expanded requirements as a positive step for user safety and encouraged other technology companies, such as Microsoft and Google, to adopt similar measures worldwide.
This move marks a shift in how digital platforms and regulatory frameworks can work together to enforce age restrictions while aiming to safeguard privacy, reflecting ongoing challenges in balancing accessibility and protection in the online adult entertainment sector.