Age-Verification Requirements Force Pornhub to Shutter Operations

Published: June 10, 2025

wesson-wang-y0_vFxOHayg-unsplash — Photo from Wesson Wang via Unsplash

By Mallory Mattingly

Pornhub suspended operations in France last week after it refused to comply with the country’s age verification requirements.

“We’ve made the difficult decision to suspend access to our sites (user-uploaded content platforms, including Pornhub, YouPorn, Redtube) in France,” said Alex Kekesi, VP Brand and Community for Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company.

A spokesperson for Aylo told BBC News that the new age verification law was a “privacy risk.”

But far from being a privacy risk, this move will protect France’s young people. According to Arcom, the country’s communications regulator, “each month, Pornhub, is visited by more than a third of adolescents aged 12 to 17.”

“The Aylo group has chosen to shirk the imperative of protecting minors by suspending access to its content in France,” Arcom said, “even for adults, even though numerous technical solutions exist on the market that allow users to verify their age while ensuring the protection of their personal data.”

Unfortunately, since Pornhub’s exit from France, Virtual private networks (VPN) signups have exploded. These tools “allow internet users to bypass geographic restrictions,” Politico reported.

According to Proton VPN, registrations for their VPN service increased by 1,000% in just half an hour after the company blocked access, showing just how strong porn addiction is.

“5:30 PM – @ProtonVPN registrations increase by 1,000%. For context, this is more than when TikTok blocked Americans.”

5PM – PornHub blocks France from accessing its website

5.30PM – @ProtonVPN registrations increase by 1,000%

For context, this is more than when TikTok blocked Americans. pic.twitter.com/gVZynD5hPS

— Proton VPN (@ProtonVPN) June 4, 2025

In 2019, 11% of American men and 3% of American women admitted to a pornography addiction.

Even higher percentages of the population use porn without classifying it as an addiction: “approximately 69% of American men and 40% of American women view online porn each year,” according to Addictionhelp.com.

In 2023, Pornhub had over 2 billion visits in just one month. Only 14% of pornography users “reported they believed porn use is wrong.” A whopping 51% disagreed.

The U.S. leads porn viewership around the world, in large part because of easy access to the internet in some form. “98% of porn use in 2021 was via online porn, with 69% viewed on cell phones,” Addictionhelp.com said.

The pornography industry is a lucrative business as monthly subscriptions can cost $10 or more. “Overall, the internet porn industry is currently worth more than $1 billion (as of 2023). Most porn sites offer a certain amount of porn viewing for free, which can work to keep users coming back,” the outlet noted.

Pornhub has suspended activity in parts of the U.S., too. Following Texas’ age-verification requirements, the adult content site left the state. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments earlier this year about whether Texas’ law violates First Amendment rights.

Pornhub is blocked in 17 other states, as of January 2025.

While the fight against porn addiction continues to rage, Pornhub’s exit from France and states like Texas marks victories for keeping kids safe from explicit content.

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