CARE writes to Ofcom over 'potentially misleading' Report

CARE has written formally to Dame Melanie Dawes, Chief Executive of Ofcom, raising concerns about its recent age assurance compliance report, which the charity said risks giving a misleading impression.

The letter from Ross Hendry, CARE's Chief Executive, was sent today (24 July 2026), the day before the one-year anniversary of the age assurance laws coming into effect.

In his letter, Mr Hendry highlights the "alarming disparity" between CARE's own findings and Ofcom's first report on the use of age assurance.

When Ofcom published its findings on 15 July 2026, the report stated that 64 of the top 100 pornographic websites in the UK were deploying age assurance measures, with a further 10 geo-blocking UK users.

However, CARE's own research, conducted between 9 and 16 July, suggested a much lower figure. It found that only 44 of the top 100 sites were providing what Ofcom itself describes as "highly effective age assurance" controls.

In his letter to Ofcom's Chief Executive, Ross Hendry writes:

"In our audit, we found that 70 sites had implemented some form of age verification measure. Yet only 44 of these were classified as providing Highly Effective Age Assurance (HEAA). The remaining 26 were either using illegitimate and inadequate methods for verifying the user's age or, most notably, exposed users to explicit thumbnails, advertisements, titles and/or tags prior to any age gate."

CARE's team of researchers also found that 30 sites were not offering any age assurance controls at all, in clear breach of the new laws.

Mr Hendry continued:

"The purpose of reports is to present factual evidence on the true state of play. I fear that Ofcom's report may have been misleading because it gives the impression of much stronger compliance than is really the case. I urge you to clear up any potential misrepresentation as soon as possible. The public and Parliament need to know that there is a material difference between providing highly effective age gates and simply providing some form of age controls. The former is surely the standard we must require from all pornographic sites, rather than being satisfied with some age verification being in place."

Today, on the one-year anniversary of the age assurance laws coming into effect, CARE is calling on Ofcom to clarify what it believes is a potentially misleading presentation of compliance in its report.

The charity's Director of Advocacy, former Eastbourne MP Caroline Ansell, said:

"Protecting children online is one of the most basic and important duties the state has.

"Like many other organisations, we supported the introduction of robust age assurance controls to protect young people from explicit pornographic content online.

"One year ago, age controls finally came into force and, over the past 12 months, we have supported Ofcom in its role as the regulator responsible for ensuring compliance.

"We welcome the action the regulator has taken against pornographic websites that have failed to comply and, more recently, against TikTok.

"It is encouraging that Ofcom is taking its role seriously.

"However, the report it published on 15 July is potentially very misleading. It does not make clear what standard of age assurance is in place across the 64 of the top 100 pornographic websites it says are providing age controls.

"By contrast, our research found that fewer than half of the top 100 sites have implemented what Ofcom itself considers to be highly effective age assurance controls.

"Twenty-six sites may offer some form of age control, but children are still being exposed to explicit adult titles and thumbnails before reaching any age gate. A further 30 sites have simply failed to comply with the new law.

"As CARE's Chief Executive, Ross Hendry, said in his letter to Ofcom, the purpose of reports is to present factual information on the true state of play.

"Without urgent clarification, Ofcom's report risks giving a misleading impression of the current level of compliance. We must surely hold pornographic websites to the highest possible standard of age assurance.

"Today we are urging Ofcom to go further and faster. Will it clarify how many of the top 100 sites are providing highly effective age assurance controls?

"And what action will it take against those that remain non-compliant? Swift enforcement is needed to deter other sites from weakening or failing to comply properly."

ENDS

Notes to editors

CARE is a social policy charity that brings a Christian perspective to matters of public policy.

For more information or interview requests:

james.mildred@care.org.uk | 07717 516814

Ross Hendry's full letter to Melanie Dawes, Chief Executive of Ofcom: https://care.org.uk/uploads/pages/Ross-Letter-to-Ofcom-CEO-Dame-Melanie-Dawes.pdf

CARE's audit report on compliance among the UK's top 100 pornographic websites with age verification requirements:
https://care.org.uk/uploads/pages/CARE-Age-Assurance-Compliance-Report-July-2026.pdf

Ofcom's report, published on 15 July 2026: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/use-of-age-assurance-report-2026