UK age verification: How will it work for porn sites and when does it come into force?

An age restriction warning sign and the logos of the pornographic sites Pornhub and Xhamster, pictured in Toulouse, France, on 24 May, 2022 - (Getty Images)

Visitors to websites hosting pornographic content will soon need to go through a “robust” age verification process after Ofcom announced new rules on Thursday designed to protect children online.

The new guidelines are part of the UK regulator’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act, which aims to prevent anyone underage from viewing adult content. It comes just weeks after two new states in the US introduced similar measures, resulting in a backlash from popular porn sites like Pornhub.