Pornhub has returned to Australia after being unavailable for eight months, but access is currently limited to adults on Apple devices that have completed Apple’s age-verification process.
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, said it is restoring access for eligible adult users in Australia who have confirmed they are over 18 through Apple’s Australian age-verification system.
Pornhub left the Australian market in March after stricter age-verification laws were introduced. The rules require users to prove they are over 18 before accessing adult content, including pornography, R-rated video games and sexually explicit AI chatbots.
At the time, Aylo argued that the requirements could create privacy risks without effectively protecting children. Critics of Australia’s approach have also raised concerns about how much personal information users may have to provide and whether technologies such as facial recognition, digital IDs, and credit-card checks can be bypassed.
Apple recently introduced its own age-verification system in Australia, following a similar rollout in the UK. Aylo said Apple’s approach was a major reason behind its decision to restore Pornhub access.
The company said Apple’s system makes child-safety protections the default on its devices, while adults can verify their age to access age-restricted services. Apple users in Australia can confirm they are over 18 using a credit card, passport, driver’s licence or government-issued ID.
After completing the age-verification process, eligible adults can access Pornhub with its standard adult-user experience.
Aylo said device-based age verification could also reduce the need for users to repeatedly share personal information with individual websites and apps. The company also argued that Apple’s approach could make it harder to bypass restrictions using VPNs, which can make it appear that a user is accessing a website from another country.
For now, Pornhub’s return to Australia is therefore tied closely to Apple’s age-verification system, meaning access depends on both the user’s age verification and the device they are using.
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