Pornhub Is Urging Tech Giants to Enact Device-Based Age Verification
4 months ago
- #Online Safety
- #Tech Policy
- #Age Verification
- Aylo, Pornhub's parent company, urges Apple, Google, and Microsoft to adopt device-based age verification in app stores and OS, criticizing site-based methods as flawed.
- Age verification laws in the US and UK require ID uploads, leading Pornhub's traffic to drop by up to 80% in compliant regions like Louisiana and the UK.
- Aylo argues site-based verification drives users to unregulated platforms, increasing privacy risks and exposure to harmful content like pirated material or child abuse.
- Tech companies respond with varied stances: Google promotes its API tools but bans adult apps on Play; Microsoft supports service-level age assurance; Apple uses default filters for minors.
- Experts note age verification laws are ineffective due to circumvention (e.g., VPNs) and may benefit faith-based groups or verification providers, while harming the legal adult industry.
- Pornhub advocates for global, device-based solutions to keep minors safe, highlighting California's Digital Age Assurance Act as a potential model, and emphasizes industry efforts like transparency reports.