Over 30% of U.S. States Now Block Pornhub

Major U.S. states have just escalated their war on adult content—here’s what you need to know.   

Imagine logging onto Pornhub, only to be greeted with a cold, hard message: “Access Denied.” For millions of Americans, this is now the reality. Over 17 states, including Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee, have implemented strict age verification laws for accessing adult content, forcing Pornhub and its sister sites—RedTube and YouPorn—to block themselves entirely in these areas.

For fans of the platform, it’s like the internet’s red-light district just went dark overnight. These laws, aimed at restricting access to explicit material for minors, have sparked heated debates about privacy, censorship, and the future of online adult content.

 And if you think this crackdown is the endgame, think again. The Project 2025 manifesto, a roadmap backed by powerful conservatives, lays it out bluntly: 

“Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned.”

The Laws That Changed the Game

The U.S., a country that prides itself on freedom of expression, is suddenly being compared to nations like China, which has long upheld strict censorship policies, including a complete ban on pornography and foreign platforms deemed harmful to its cultural values. 

With Florida joining the fold, Pornhub and its sister sites are now blocked across much of the American South. States like South Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee have followed suit with similar age verification laws, effectively creating a digital void for users in these regions. 

The trend began in Texas, which implemented its own restrictions in March 2024. The immediate result? A staggering 1,750% spike in searches for “Texas VPN” as users sought ways to bypass the block. 

The Privacy Risks No One’s Talking About

Critics argue these laws create more problems than they solve. To access adult content, users must now provide sensitive personal data, such as government-issued IDs. This raises serious privacy concerns, with many fearing their data could be stolen, misused, or hacked. Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company, has been vocal in its opposition. In a statement to Mashable, the company warned:

 “These people didn’t stop looking for porn. They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that don’t ask users to verify age, that don’t follow the law, that don’t take user safety seriously, and that often don’t even moderate content.”

These unregulated platforms lack the safeguards of mainstream sites, exposing users to malicious content, scams, and illegal material. Many users are turning to VPNs or migrating to less regulated platforms, raising questions about whether these laws are addressing the problem or simply creating new ones.

A Darker Future for Adult Content?

What’s happening now may only be the tip of the iceberg. Under former President Donald Trump’s administration, the controversial Project 2025 plan was drawn up by the Heritage Foundation, outlining a vision for the future of American policy. Among its many proposals is the outright criminalization of pornography.

The plan doesn’t stop at banning websites. It calls for prosecuting the creators, producers, and distributors of adult content, effectively making all forms of pornography illegal. Supporters of the plan argue it’s necessary to combat what they see as the societal harms of explicit material, but critics warn that it would set a dangerous precedent for government overreach and erosion of personal freedoms.

If implemented, such a policy would completely reshape the landscape of online content in the United States. Beyond the adult industry, the ripple effects could extend to other sectors, raising questions about freedom of expression, internet governance, and the role of technology in society.

Is This Just the Beginning?

Pornhub’s self-imposed blackout in 17 states is more than just a regional issue—it’s a glimpse into a future where online freedom is increasingly under threat. VPN searches are soaring, users are flocking to unsafe alternatives, and debates over privacy and censorship are only heating up. 

For now, millions of Americans are left frustrated, navigating a digital landscape that feels smaller, more controlled, and less secure. Whether you see these laws as necessary protections or dangerous overreach, one thing is certain: the battle over adult content and online privacy is far from over.

So, is this the end of Pornhub as we know it? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: the internet just got a lot more complicated.