Pornhub blocks access in Alabama over age verification law

Pornhub has blocked access to its website in Alabama in response to a new state law requiring age verification for adult content viewers. 

The law, which takes effect on October 1, mandates that adult websites implement “reasonable age-verification methods” to ensure users are old enough to view pornography. 

The legislation, signed by Governor Kay Ivey in April, follows similar laws passed in other conservative states, such as Texas, which is currently facing a legal challenge.

When users in Alabama attempt to visit Pornhub, they are met with a message explaining the decision to block access. "Your elected officials in Alabama are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website," the message states, further arguing that requiring ID for every visit "is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk."

Instead of complying with the state's regulations, Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, has opted to block access to its site from within Alabama. 

In a statement to AL.com, Aylo emphasized that age verification should be performed on the device level to better protect privacy and prevent children from accessing adult content. "The best solution to make the internet safer is performing age verification at the source: on the device," the company said.

Alabama's law also requires adult websites to display warnings about the potential harms of pornography, including its impact on brain development and its link to exploitation.