Pornhub blocks access in Texas after a dispute over the state’s new age verification law. The law requires adult websites to verify user age, but Pornhub argues the methods are ineffective and could expose user data. – Texas VPN usage surged after the block.
A recent clash between adult website Pornhub and the state of Texas has resulted in Texans being blocked from accessing the platform. This stems from a new Texas law, HB 1181, requiring age verification for websites hosting x-ratent content.
Pornhub argues that the law’s proposed methods for verifying user age are both ineffective and could potentially expose user privacy. They believe there should be a better way to achieve the goal of protecting minors from adult content.
Following an unfavourable court ruling (PDF) upholding the law, Pornhub decided to block access to Texas users entirely. This decision has forced Texas-based users to turn to virtual private networks (VPNs) as according to vpnMentor’s report, on March 15, 2024, there was a surge in VPN demand in Texas, increasing by a staggering 234.8%.
Surprised? Don’t Be!
The surge in VPN demand is not surprising. The ban on Utah-based users by Pornhub in May 2023 resulted in a remarkable 967% increase in demand for VPN services within the state. Similarly, the introduction of age restriction laws about adult sites in Louisiana and Mississippi during the same year prompted a surge of 200% and 72% respectively in VPN interest.
Additionally, the implementation of age verification measures is not limited to the United States. The United Kingdom has been actively working on similar age check regulations. However, privacy advocates have raised concerns about the data collection associated with these measures, citing privacy-related issues.
But Should You Use a VPN?
Use a VPN whenever you’re online, particularly when connected to public Wi-Fi. Disregard the notion that “I have nothing to hide online, so why bother?” Who wouldn’t want to shield their IP address from malicious threat actors or adversaries or bypass online censorship? However, ensure you select a trustworthy VPN provider that doesn’t retain logs of your activities or share unnecessary data with law enforcement.