Pornhub is continuing to block access in more states that have passed age verification laws. The platform has made the decision to block access to users in several American states due to these legislative requirements.
The states where access has been blocked include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Under these laws, age verification requires users to prove they are at least 18 years old to view adult content. This typically requires the submission of personally identifiable information, such as a driver's license. Pornhub stated that requiring users to submit private information to multiple adult sites normalizes the disclosure of personally identifiable information across the internet and is not a privacy-by-design approach.
The platform noted that this requirement creates a substantial risk for identity theft because age verification software requires users to hand over sensitive information, which opens the door to risks from data breaches. It also creates opportunities for criminals to use phishing attempts or fake processes for extortion.
The impact of such laws was seen in Louisiana following a similar law passed in January 2023. Pornhub reported that traffic to the site dropped by approximately 80% in Louisiana. However, the platform noted that users often move to pirate, illegal, or other non-compliant sites that do not require age verification.
Verified creators and content partners located in blocked states can continue to access their existing accounts by logging in via the bottom of the homepage. Verified creators can still upload content because they have already provided IDs that are stored in the company database. However, users in blocked states who wish to join the Model Program or Content Partner Program are unable to join at this time because they cannot bypass the age gate.
Pornhub advocates for a device-based solution for age verification. This approach would identify users at the source, such as through their operating system, meaning users would only need to verify their age once rather than on every individual site. This method is described as a way to reduce privacy risks and create a simpler process for regulators to enforce.
