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As of 25 July 2025, services that publish or allow pornography in the UK must stop children from encountering that content using “highly effective” age assurance. Ofcom can investigate, fine companies up to £18m or 10% of global turnover (whichever is higher), and even seek UK access restrictions for serious non-compliance. GOV.UK
In just two weeks of the UK’s age-gating taking effect (24 July → 8 August 2025), traffic cratered across the biggest platforms: Pornhub’s daily UK visits fell from 3.6m to 1.9m (-47%), XVideos also dropped 47%, and xHamster slid 39%—all from Similarweb data reported via the BBC; OnlyFans saw an additional ~10% decline in UK traffic over the same period. Meanwhile, users didn’t simply disappear—they migrated: visits to smaller, less-regulated sites rose, and VPNs surged to the top of the UK App Store, with Proton VPN sign-ups up 1,800% in the first three days. For any publisher or UGC platform, that’s the cautionary tale and the opportunity: blunt, high-friction checks bleed revenue to non-compliant alternatives, while highly effective, low-friction age assurance (estimate first, step-up only when needed) keeps adults in-flow and converts the displaced demand before it’s gone. theguardian.com theverge.com
No. The OSA lets providers use highly effective age verification or highly effective age estimation—or a combination—so long as the approach is technically accurate, robust, reliable, and fair. Methods Ofcom explicitly lists as capable of being highly effective include facial age estimation, photo-ID matching, credit card checks, open-banking, mobile-network checks, and digital identity services. Self-declarations (e.g., “I’m 18+”) are not acceptable. Ofcom also recommends a “challenge age” approach when using age estimation. www.ofcom.org.uk
Put simply: you do not have to run everyone through a full document check. A risk-based, step-up flow that begins with age estimation and escalates to stronger verification only when needed can meet the law—provided it’s implemented to Ofcom’s “highly effective” standard. www.ofcom.org.uk
Ofcom has already opened investigations into providers operating 34 pornography sites for suspected breaches, and it continues to expand enforcement. This isn’t a “someday” problem. www.ofcom.org.uk
Early coverage shows that blunt, high-friction checks can trigger user flight to non-compliant or offshore platforms—exactly the opposite of what responsible services want. Minimizing friction while meeting the “highly effective” bar is critical to protect both minors and your business. The Washington Post
Here’s the two-tier flow we recommend to stay compliant and protect conversion:
Fast, low-friction age estimation
Kairos verifies legal age from a single selfie—designed to return results in milliseconds so legitimate adults don’t bounce at the gate. This is ideal as your default first pass. Kairos
One platform for step-ups
When you need stronger proof, Kairos supports ID document verification (4000+ IDs across 190+ countries), liveness, and biometric selfie-to-ID match—all within the same API. That makes it simple to escalate only when your risk rules require it. Kairos
Privacy by design
Kairos emphasizes minimal data collection for age estimation (no name or additional PII required) and implements strong security controls like AES-256 at rest and TLS in transit. Faces are masked as templates to prevent identity reconstruction. Kairos
Built for adult-content workflows
For adult-entertainment platforms, Kairos supports age checks via selfie or ID, along with content tagging features that help keep catalogs orderly and compliant. Kairos
Predictable, scalable economics
Kairos offers volume-based pricing with automatic discounts and the first 100 transactions free, so you can test, tune thresholds, and scale economically. (Pricing tiers are dynamic—see our site for the latest.) Kairos
Even without publishing your exact rates, the math is straightforward:
Because p is typically high when you tune your challenge-age sensibly, you minimize the number of expensive ID checks—and you cut abandonment by keeping the default flow snappy. With Kairos’ volume discounts and free first 100 calls, you can calibrate thresholds in production-like traffic before committing to scale. (Illustrative only; check your dashboard for current unit economics.) Kairos
The law doesn’t require you to over-verify every adult. It requires you to deploy highly effective age assurance. A hybrid flow—Kairos age estimation first, step-up ID verification when needed—meets the standard and preserves your conversion, your brand, and your users’ trust. www.ofcom.org.uk
Ready to turn compliance into conversion? Kairos clears most adults with a single-selfie age estimation, then auto step-ups only edge cases to liveness + ID document match—all in one API. That means fewer abandoned sessions, protected revenue, and a lower blended cost because you reserve higher-priced ID checks for the few who need them. Add privacy-by-design, audit-ready reporting, and transparent volume pricing, and age assurance becomes an ROI win—not a tax. Spin up a sandbox, A/B test your challenge-age, and see how quickly “estimate-first, verify-when-needed” pays for itself. Contact us here to learn more!
This article is for general information only and isn’t legal advice. If you’re in scope of the OSA, consult counsel on your specific implementation.
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