Pornhub Closes Doors To Florida Over Stricter Age Verification Rules

Pornhub, one of the world’s largest adult websites, will block access to its platform in Florida starting January 1, 2025.

The decision comes in response to a new state law requiring adult content websites to implement age verification systems or face hefty fines.

The Florida law, part of HB 3, was introduced to enhance online child safety. The law requires adult websites to offer anonymous or standard age verification methods to confirm users are 18 or older. Sites that fail to comply may face fines of up to $50,000 per violation and legal damages of up to $10,000 per claimant, as reported by Yahoo News.

Pornhub, one of the most prominent and widely visited adult websites, has consistently blocked access in states implementing new ID requirements for adult content, noted Yahoo.

Earlier this year, Texas was blocked, followed by Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, and Nebraska in July. Last month, Oklahoma was added to the list, leaving millions of residents without access.

Yahoo reports a message on the site states: “YOU WILL LOSE ACCESS TO PORNHUB IN 14 DAYS […] Did you know that your government wants you to give your driver’s license before you can access PORNHUB? As crazy as that sounds, it’s true.”

Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, criticized the law, arguing that its implementation is flawed. “The way many jurisdictions worldwide, including Florida, have chosen to implement age verification is ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous,” a company spokesperson said in an email, as reported by Yahoo.

The company pointed to Louisiana’s 2023 law as an example. Pornhub complied with the legislation, which led to an 80% drop in traffic from the state and a rise in users turning to unregulated platforms, says Yahoo.

Aylo maintains that parental controls are a more effective tool for protecting minors online, as reported by Yahoo.

Critics argue such laws hurt adults’ access to legal content and risk broader censorship. The Free Speech Coalition calls the process invasive, with significant privacy risks, likening it to censorship that endangers online freedoms and personal rights under the guise of age verification.

While blocked users in Florida will be unable to access the site directly, workarounds like VPNs—services that route internet connections through other states or countries—remain an option. Google searches for VPN services spiked in states previously blocked by Pornhub, reported Yahoo.

Content creators in Florida, however, will not face disruptions. Pornhub’s IP block redirects creators to a separate login, allowing them to maintain their accounts and upload content, says Yahoo.

As the debate over online safety and digital rights continues, Pornhub’s stance highlights ongoing tensions between protecting children, safeguarding privacy, and preserving free speech.