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Several major porn websites have started blocking Australian users just days before new age-verification rules come into force.
From March 9, adult websites accessible in Australia will be required to verify that users are over 18 before allowing access to explicit content. The change falls under new industry codes introduced by the eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, under the Online Safety Act, which require platforms hosting pornography or other explicit material to implement “appropriate age assurance measures”.
But instead of adding age-verification systems, some of the world’s most popular adult video sites appear to be taking a different approach: restricting access to Australians entirely.
Major Porn Platforms Restricting Aussie Access
On Friday morning, users across Australia reported being unable to access RedTube, YouPorn and Tube8. The sites, all owned by Canadian adult entertainment company Aylo, instead displayed a message saying the platform is “not currently accepting new account registrations in your region”.
An Aylo spokesperson confirmed the company plans to restrict access in response to Australia’s new rules.
The company has previously argued that mandatory age-verification systems raise privacy concerns and may not effectively prevent minors from accessing adult content. It has also warned that strict verification requirements could push users towards unregulated or illegal websites that don’t comply with the rules.
“Are You Over 18?” No Longer Enough
Australia’s new codes require platforms hosting explicit or violent material to introduce meaningful age checks before allowing access. Clicking a button that says “I am 18 years or older” will no longer be considered sufficient.
“We don’t allow children to walk into bars or bottle shops, adult stores or casinos, but when it comes to online spaces where they are spending a lot of their time, there are no such safeguards,” Grant said.
Penalties for failing to comply can reach as high as $49.5 million.
Despite the looming deadline, several of the world’s largest adult websites remain accessible in Australia and still rely on basic click-through age prompts. According to SimilarWeb data, Pornhub recorded around 74.66 million Australian visits in January, while XVideos and XHamster received roughly 28.62 million and 18.23 million visits respectively.
Those sites have not yet introduced compliant age-verification systems.
Porn Being Restricted Around The World
Australia isn’t the first country to run into this tension between regulation and access. When the UK introduced similar requirements for adult websites, downloads of VPN services surged as users looked for ways to bypass location-based restrictions, while traffic shifted towards sites that hadn’t implemented age checks.
The new Australian rules extend beyond pornography platforms. Providers of AI chatbots will also be required to verify users’ ages before allowing children to engage in sexual, violent or otherwise harmful conversations. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that only nine of the world’s top 50 chatbot providers are currently compliant ahead of the March 9 deadline.
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