Pornhub'S Bold Play: Urging Tech Giants For Device-Level Age Checks

A Call for Change in Age Verification

Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, is making waves by urging some of the biggest names in tech – Apple, Google, and Microsoft – to rethink how age verification is handled online. In a series of letters, Aylo's chief legal officer, Anthony Penhale, has highlighted the shortcomings of traditional site-based age checks, calling them "fundamentally flawed and counterproductive." This move comes amidst growing concerns about the effectiveness and privacy implications of current age verification methods.

“We have found site-based age assurance approaches to be fundamentally flawed and counterproductive.”

Current Methods Under Scrutiny

The current age verification techniques, used by half of the U.S. states and several countries including the UK, Italy, and France, often involve users providing sensitive personal information, like their government ID or facial scans. This approach, according to Aylo, fails to adequately protect minors and raises privacy concerns for adults. Pornhub and free speech advocates have long been proponents of device-level verification, which would allow age filters to operate directly on devices like phones and tablets.

Tech Giants Respond

In response to Aylo’s appeals, Microsoft has remained tight-lipped, declining to comment on the matter. Apple, however, pointed to their recent updates aimed at enhancing online safety for minors, ensuring that even teens aged 13 to 17 receive protections similar to younger users. Google reassured its commitment to online safety by developing new age assurance tools, such as their Credential Manager API.

In the ongoing battle for online safety and privacy, Aylo's push for device-level age verification could be a game-changer, offering a more secure and private way to ensure age-appropriateness online.