Pornhub and its affiliate sites, including YouPorn, have restricted access to their platforms for users in Texas. This decision is a response to a contentious legal battle with the state’s attorney general over a new age-verification law. The recent ruling by a federal appeals court upheld the Texas statute requiring pornographic websites to implement age-verification measures to ensure that users are 18 years or older. However, the court invalidated a portion of the law mandating that these sites display health warnings about their content.
The controversy began with a federal judge’s ruling against the Texas law on the grounds that it infringed upon the First Amendment’s protection against restrictions on free speech. The Texas Attorney General’s Office promptly appealed this decision, leading to the recent court ruling in their favor.
Following the court’s decision, a notice appeared on Pornhub and other Aylo-operated sites for Texas users, explaining the sites’ decision to block access in compliance with the law. The message criticizes the Texas mandate, arguing that it infringes on adults’ rights to access protected speech and utilizes ineffective methods under the guise of protecting minors.
The notification from the Pornhub sites further elaborates on their stance, stating, “While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, providing identification every time you want to visit an adult platform is not an effective solution for protecting users online, and in fact, will put minors and your privacy at risk.” They advocate for device-based age verification as the only effective method to safeguard both minors and adults, while also preserving user privacy.
Pornhub has labeled the Texas age-verification law as “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous,” expressing concerns that it will push users towards sites with fewer safety measures that do not comply with the law. The company emphasizes the need for legislation to be applied uniformly across all platforms offering adult content to truly protect minors and user privacy.
This development underscores the complex debate surrounding digital privacy, free speech, and efforts to protect minors online. As major adult content providers withdraw services from Texas users, the broader implications for internet governance and user access remain a pivotal concern.
Texas Reporter 