As of January 1, 2025, 17 states across the United States have implemented laws restricting access to online adult content, affecting over 120 million residents. Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee are the latest states to enforce over-18 age verification measures for accessing pornography websites like Pornhub.
Age Verification Laws and Criticism
The legislation mandates visitors to adult content sites to verify their age using government-approved identification, such as a passport or driver’s license. Supporters of these measures argue that they aim to protect minors from exposure to inappropriate material.
However, critics have raised significant concerns about privacy and data security. Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, RedTube, and YouPorn, has opposed these laws, withdrawing its platforms from affected states.
“Aylo has long supported age verification to protect children, but these laws compromise user safety and privacy,” a company spokesperson stated. “Requiring hundreds of thousands of adult websites to collect sensitive personal information puts user data at risk and creates significant security vulnerabilities.”
Surge in VPN Usage
In response to the restrictions, virtual private networks (VPNs) have seen a surge in demand, as users attempt to bypass state-specific bans. Following Texas’s pornography block in March 2024, searches for “Texas VPN” spiked by 1,750%, according to data from SlashGear. VPNs enable users to mask their actual location, allowing them to access restricted content.
Future Implications Under Project 2025
Further restrictions could be on the horizon. Under the proposed Project 2025, supported by the Heritage Foundation, pornography could face federal-level criminalization. The conservative think tank argues that pornography lacks First Amendment protections and likens its effects to addiction and psychological harm.
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