On 24 April 2025, Ofcom published the Protection of Children Codes of Practice and guidance. As part of this package of regulations, from 25 July 2025, services in scope of the Online Safety Act and which allow pornography, must implement highly effective age assurance to stop under-18s encountering that content.
The letter below has been sent out to hundreds of services whose principal purpose is to host pornography. It sets out what those services need to do in more detail, provides contact information if services have questions, and explains the consequences of non-compliance.
For services which allow pornography alongside other types of content, there are more requirements under Ofcom’s Protection of Children Duties which are not covered in this letter.