Pornhub announced it would block new users in the United Kingdom starting February 2nd in protest of the country's age verification laws, according to Wired. The company argued that the laws, aimed at preventing minors from viewing pornographic content, are ineffective.

The move came after the implementation of the Online Safety Act in July, which required users to submit to age-estimating face scans, ID document uploads, or credit card checks to verify their age, Wired reported. Pornhub stated that its traffic from UK users dropped 77 percent after the law took effect. As of February 2nd, only users who had already registered with Pornhub and completed age verification would be able to access the site. New users would be unable to register.

The issue of age verification has become a growing concern for tech companies, particularly regarding AI chatbots, according to MIT Technology Review. Companies have historically relied on users self-reporting their birthdays, but this method is easily circumvented. Recent developments in the US have highlighted the increasing urgency of this issue, with some states passing laws requiring sites with adult content to verify users' ages.

In related news, Amazon is closing its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores, according to Hacker News, citing a Bloomberg report from January 27, 2026. The company announced it would shutter the Amazon-branded grocery stores and automated grab-and-go markets, converting some locations into Whole Foods Market stores.

Meanwhile, a major crypto bill, The Clarity Act, moved closer to passing after a Senator withdrew a contested amendment related to credit card fees, Fortune reported. Republican Senator Roger Marshall removed a provision that would have forced credit cards to compete on swipe fees, which had created a roadblock for the broader crypto legislation. The Clarity Act, which aims to regulate and legitimize digital assets, has attracted bipartisan support.