TEXAS – After a new Texas law went into effect this week, requiring age verification for visitors of adult content websites such as Pornhub, the popular Canadian-owned website has decided to pull out of the Lone Star State. As a result, users in Texas have been searching for workarounds to access the site.
Upon visiting Pornhub’s homepage, Texas users are now greeted with a lengthy message explaining the reason for the site’s unavailability. The law in question is Texas HB 1181, which was passed in June and came into effect in September. It mandates that pornographic websites must verify the age of users before allowing them to view explicit content, either through digital identification or a commercial age-verification system.
The legislation was recently upheld by a federal appeals court, as announced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. In celebration of Pornhub disabling its website in Texas, Paxton took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his victory.
Since Wednesday, the search for virtual private networks (VPNs) has seen a significant rise in Texas. Google Trends has indicated a fourfold increase in searches for VPNs across the state. Users in Texas are seeking ways to bypass the age verification requirements and access adult content on the internet.
Pornhub’s message to Texas users reflects its discontent with the new regulations. The company argues that these laws infringe on adults’ rights to access protected speech and fail to effectively protect minors. Similar laws in other states, including Arkansas, Montana, Mississippi, Utah, and Virginia, have not proven successful in their intentions. Instead, they have diverted users to websites with fewer safety measures in place, which do not comply with age verification rules.
Pornhub suggests a different approach to age verification, proposing verification on devices rather than online platforms. The law in Texas imposes penalties of up to $10,000 per day for non-compliance with age-verification requirements and allows for penalties of $250,000 for violating the law and allowing minors to access sexual material.
Opponents of the law argue that the age-verification requirement is unconstitutional, as it could expose individuals in protected classes and create access barriers to protected content. The law also impacts the earnings of publishers and adds costs for users who create content.
The Free Speech Coalition, an organization advocating for the adult industry, sued Texas alongside other plaintiffs in an attempt to challenge the age-verification law. They believe that sexual expression, both online and offline, is a crucial aspect of free speech.
In conclusion, Texas’s new age-verification law has led to Pornhub’s withdrawal from the state. Users in Texas have been searching for ways to bypass the restrictions, while opponents of the law argue its unconstitutionality and potential negative consequences. The debate between the protection of minors and the rights of adults to access adult content continues.