Pornhub Pulls Out of France Over New Age Verification Law

Access to Pornhub and several other adult platforms has been suspended in France following a disagreement over the country’s new digital regulation requiring pornographic websites to implement robust age verification systems. Aylo, the parent company behind Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube, confirmed that it had disabled access to these sites in France as of Wednesday.

According to Aylo’s vice president of brand and community, the decision was made due to unresolved concerns about user privacy and data security. The company maintained that it had attempted for several years to collaborate with French authorities to design a solution that verifies users’ ages without compromising their personal data. However, Aylo stated that no secure method had been found that aligned with its privacy standards.

The move comes in response to a legal mandate enacted in France in 2023, which requires adult content providers to adopt stricter technological measures to prevent minors from accessing explicit material. France’s regulatory body for digital communications, Arcom, condemned the suspension of access, asserting that Aylo was evading its legal obligations by shutting down its services rather than complying with safeguards to protect minors.

Arcom emphasized that various technologies already exist that allow age verification without exposing users’ personal information. The regulator noted that Aylo’s action impacts not only underage users but also adults who can no longer access the sites from within France.

Policy Backlash and Broader International Trends

France has become one of several global jurisdictions to strengthen online protections for minors in the digital age. Under the French legal framework, pornographic websites must now verify a user’s age through mechanisms such as bank card confirmation or digital age-check tools. The legislation aims to close existing loopholes that allowed minors to access adult content with minimal barriers.

Aurore Bergé, France’s gender equality minister, supported Aylo’s withdrawal. In a statement, she said that the removal of these websites would reduce the availability of harmful and inappropriate material to minors in France. She described the departure of Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube as a positive development for the country’s effort to create a safer digital environment.

Aylo, owned by Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital Partners, argued that tech giants such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft should carry the burden of verifying users’ ages at the device level. The company asserted that this approach would better balance privacy rights and regulatory compliance, allowing adult websites to focus on content rather than personal data collection.

France is the second-largest source of daily traffic to Pornhub, trailing only the United States, according to recent platform statistics. The company’s decision to suspend access is expected to impact a significant number of users.

Global Scrutiny on Adult Sites Intensifies

The situation in France is part of a growing global effort to hold adult platforms accountable for underage access. In the United States, at least 19 states have implemented laws requiring adult sites to verify users’ ages through government-issued IDs, biometric scans, or other technologies. These measures have prompted companies like Pornhub to withdraw services in multiple jurisdictions, citing the financial and privacy burdens of compliance.

In Europe, the scrutiny has expanded. The European Commission recently opened formal proceedings against several major adult platforms, including Pornhub, to investigate potential breaches of EU regulations aimed at shielding minors from harmful content. The Commission also announced plans to develop an age-verification application that would enable individuals to confirm they are over 18 without revealing additional personal data.