Pornhub Owner Blocks Access in France Over Age Verification Law: A Shift in Online Adult Content Regulation
The French communications regulator, Arcom, announced that the owner of Pornhub has decided to block access to its website in France due to objections to a new law requiring age verification for users. Despite available age verification solutions, the adult entertainment company Aylo, which owns Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube, has suspended access in France. France is the second-largest audience for Pornhub after the United States.
France implemented a law in 2024 mandating stricter age verification measures on pornographic websites, potentially including the collection of users' bank card details. Aylo has argued that age verification should be the responsibility of tech companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, rather than the pornographic sites themselves. French gender equality minister Aurore Bergé praised Aylo's decision, stating that it would limit minors' access to harmful content.
In the United States, 19 states have passed laws requiring pornographic sites to verify users' age using government-issued IDs or facial recognition technology. Some major adult websites have chosen to block users from these states rather than invest in costly ID-checking services. The European Commission recently launched an investigation into Pornhub and other adult websites for non-compliance with regulations aimed at protecting minors from accessing pornography.
The move by Aylo to suspend access to its websites in France reflects the ongoing global efforts to safeguard minors online. With increasing regulatory scrutiny and the development of age-verification technologies, the landscape of online adult content is evolving to prioritize the protection of vulnerable users.