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VPN demand jumps 1,000% after Pornhub pulls out of France

William Jackson (Producer)
Pornhub and its sister sites suspended access for French users on Thursday, June 5, in protest of a new national law.
Image credit: GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images
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Summary

Site blackout

Three adult content websites, including Pornhub, have pulled access for French users in protest of a new age verification law in the country.

VPN surge

ProtonVPN reported a 1,000% spike in signups, and overall VPN usage in France rose 334% as users tried to bypass the block.

Aylo's response

Aylo, the company behind Pornhub, says that the burden of these regulations should fall upon device manufacturers like Apple and Google instead of adult websites

Full story

Pornhub and its sister sites YouPorn and Redtube, owned by Aylo, suspended access for French users on Thursday, June 5, in protest of a new national law requiring strict age verification to access adult content. The decision followed years of unsuccessful negotiations with French regulators to create a verification system that Aylo claims would not compromise user privacy.

The company redirected French users to a protest message, stating that while it supports protecting minors, the responsibility for verification should rest with device manufacturers, such as Apple and Google, rather than adult websites.

What does the French law require?

The law, set to take effect Saturday, June 7, requires adult websites to verify users’ ages through measures such as uploading personal IDs, bank cards or facial scans. France’s media regulator, ARCOM, maintains that age verification can be implemented in a privacy-preserving way.

Minister for gender equality Aurore Bergé welcomed the site suspensions, calling them a victory in limiting minors’ exposure to degrading material.

How did users respond?

The shutdown prompted a sharp spike in virtual private network (VPN) usage. ProtonVPN reported a 1,000% increase in registrations within 30 minutes of the site block, surpassing traffic levels seen during past U.S. government efforts to restrict platforms like TikTok.

NordVPN saw a 170% usage jump, and VPN usage in France rose 334% overall on June 4, according to Top10VPN.

What are the broader implications?

France was Pornhub’s second-largest traffic source in 2024 after the United States. The shutdown reflects a growing trend of adult content sites geoblocking regions with strict age verification laws rather than building infrastructure to comply, according to Aylo.

Over a third of Americans now live in states with similar requirements, which have led to similar blocks by Aylo in parts of the U.S.

The European Union is investigating several major porn sites for allegedly failing to protect minors. At the same time, the European Commission is also developing its own age verification app.

Aylo says that laws like these could saddle adult sites with high compliance costs and could, according to the company, threaten the financial viability of the adult industry.

Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer) contributed to this report.
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Why this story matters

The suspension of Pornhub and related sites in France highlights ongoing debates over privacy, age verification and digital regulation as governments seek to protect minors while balancing individual rights online.

Age verification laws

France's new requirement for strict age verification on adult sites represents an effort to shield minors from explicit material, prompting broader discussions on digital safety and compliance.

Global regulatory trends

The response from Aylo and similar moves in other regions indicate a worldwide shift towards stricter online content regulation, affecting access, industry practices and user behavior.

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Synthesized coverage insights across 150 media outlets

Behind the numbers

Reports from the French digital regulator Arcom indicate that approximately 2.3 million minors visit porn sites in France each month, accounting for roughly 12% of total users. Pornhub claims around seven million daily visitors from France, making it the platform's second-largest market after the United States.

Global impact

France’s law and its enforcement have drawn international attention, as similar age-verification policies are being considered or implemented in other countries, including multiple U.S. states and the U.K. The EU has opened investigations into several major porn platforms for child protection compliance, indicating increasing regulatory pressure globally.

Quote bank

Aurore Bergé, France’s culture minister, stated, “There will be less violent, degrading and humiliating content accessible to minors in France.” Aylo’s Alex Kekesi remarked, “We’ve made the difficult decision to suspend access to our sites in France… French citizens deserve laws which protect their privacy and safeguard their sensitive data.”

Sources

  1. CNN
  2. ARCOM
  3. Top10VPN
  4. Politico EU
  5. European Commission

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left framed Pornhub’s exit from France as a reluctant concession to necessary but privacy-challenging age verification laws, emphasizing government efforts to protect minors through mechanisms like ARCOM’s “double anonymity” guidelines.
  • Media outlets in the center remained more factual and detached, underscoring the shared acknowledgment of France’s legal intent to shield children.
  • Media outlets on th portrayed the law as a futile, overreaching “ban” that jeopardizes privacy and fails child protection, using charged terms like “black out” and framing Pornhub’s withdrawal as a principled stand against ineffective regulation.

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Media landscape

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150 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, plans to block access to these sites for French users starting June 4, 2025, in response to new age verification laws.
  • The French law mandates porn sites to verify user age using credit cards or ID, raising privacy concerns, according to Aylo.
  • France's Digital Minister Clara Chappaz stated that the law aims to protect children, not stigmatize adults.
  • Solomon Friedman criticized the law as ineffective and dangerous, claiming it risks users' private information.

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Key points from the Center

  • Aylo, owner of Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, suspended access to its platforms in France starting Wednesday due to new age verification laws.
  • The suspension protests French requirements mandating adult sites verify users' ages via credit cards or ID, despite the law being gradually introduced this year.
  • Aylo claims the law endangers privacy by forcing platforms to collect sensitive data, and it promotes a message warning French users about the law's risks and ineffectiveness.
  • French Culture Minister Aurore Berge supported Aylo’s exit, stating it is preferable to legal compliance, aiming to reduce minors’ exposure to harmful content in France.

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Key points from the Right

  • Pornhub and YouPorn will block access to their sites in France due to new age verification laws, starting June 4, 2025.
  • Aylo, the parent company, argues that the law compromises user privacy by requiring details like credit cards for age verification.
  • French Culture Minister Aurore Berge stated that the departure of Pornhub means there will be "less violent, degrading and humiliating content accessible to minors in France."
  • Aylo argues that device-level age verification by companies like Google and Apple would be a more effective solution than site-specific regulations.

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Other (sources without bias rating):

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Sources

  1. CNN
  2. ARCOM
  3. Top10VPN
  4. Politico EU
  5. European Commission