In a significant move, Pornhub, along with its sister sites YouPorn and RedTube, has suspended access to users in France as of June 5, 2025. This action is a protest against a new French law mandating stringent age verification measures for adult content websites.
The French government introduced legislation requiring adult websites to implement robust age verification systems to prevent minors from accessing explicit content. Under this law, users must provide official identification, such as a government-issued ID or credit card, to verify their age before accessing adult material. The law aims to address concerns that a significant number of minors are exposed to pornographic content online.
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, criticized the law as “unreasonable, disproportionate, and ineffective.” The company argues that the mandated verification methods pose significant privacy risks to users and could lead to data breaches. Instead of complying, Aylo chose to suspend access to its platforms in France, redirecting users to a message protesting the government’s requirements. The message features an image of “Marianne,” a symbol of the French Republic, accompanied by the phrase “Freedom doesn’t have an off button.”
French officials have defended the law, emphasizing the need to protect minors from harmful content. Gender Equality Minister Aurore Bergé welcomed the suspension, stating it would reduce the availability of “violent, degrading, and humiliating content” to minors in France. Digital Minister Clara Chappaz also supported the move, asserting that the law balances child protection with user privacy through a “double-blind” verification system.
The suspension has sparked a surge in the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) among French users attempting to bypass the restrictions. ProtonVPN reported a 1,000% increase in sign-ups within 30 minutes of the suspension, while overall VPN usage in France rose by 334% on June 4, according to Top10VPN.
France was Pornhub’s second-largest market in 2024, trailing only the United States. The suspension highlights the ongoing global debate over age verification, privacy, and access to adult content. Similar laws in the United States have led to site restrictions in 19 states, and the European Commission has initiated investigations into several adult websites for non-compliance with child protection regulations.
