Verification Laws Lead to Website Blocks Across the U.S.
New age verification laws across the United States are changing the way people access certain websites. These rules are designed to stop minors from seeing adult content online, but they have also caused some of the internet’s biggest adult websites, such as Pornhub, to block access for everyone in those states. The current situation with Pornhub being blocked in US states has created a major debate about safety, privacy, and the required use of these new verification systems.
How Verification Laws Work
The main purpose of these laws is to make sure only adults 18 and older can view websites with adult material. States have passed these laws to protect minors from content they consider harmful. To follow these rules, websites must have a system in place to check a visitor’s age. Often, this means a user has to upload a copy of their government ID, like a driver’s license, to prove they are old enough.
Websites that don’t follow these rules can face big fines and other penalties. Failure by a website to comply leads to the outcome many now face: Pornhub blocked in US states. However, many privacy experts worry about these systems. They argue that forcing people to share their ID online creates a security risk. If a website is hacked, the private information of millions of users could be stolen. Due to these concerns, the debate over the most effective method for handling online age verification persists.
See also: Age Verification Laws Across America: What You Need to Know
Why Websites Are Blocking Access
Instead of using the ID-based systems, some major websites have chosen to block access in states with these laws. The company behind Pornhub has said that while they support keeping children safe, they believe the current laws are a bad solution. They feel that requiring ID for verification is dangerous and puts user privacy at risk.
Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, has chosen to block access in states with these laws, calling them “ineffective and dangerous.” This difficult decision is the primary reason why Pornhub is blocked in US states today. Aylo argues the laws don’t truly work, as users can find less safe websites in the darker corners of the internet. A preliminary study via Mashable suggests that age verification will be ineffective at preventing minors from accessing pornographic sites, primarily due to circumvention tools like VPNs and the existence of non-compliant websites.
Instead of requiring an ID, the company believes a better solution is to use “device-level filters” that parents can control. Until a better method is agreed upon, their proactive decision has led to the current reality, with Pornhub blocked in US states.
Pornhub Blocked in US States: A Full List
The full list of locations where you will find Pornhub blocked in US states includes the following:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Wyoming
What Happens Next?
The debate over the best way to handle these verifications shows just how complicated it is to make rules for the internet. While lawmakers and tech companies alike want to protect minors, they completely disagree on the right way to do it. The end result is that Pornhub is blocked in US states, leaving millions of users in a digital blackout, caught between the important goals of safety and privacy. As courts continue to hear challenges to these laws and new technology develops, the question of how to balance these two values will shape the future of the internet for everyone.
