Pornhub, a leading online portal for adult content, has suspended its services in Texas in response to a newly enacted state law requiring commercial adult content websites to verify that users are at least 18 years old before providing access to explicit material.
In a public message, Pornhub explained its reluctance to comply with the law, insisting that requiring age verification intrudes upon individuals’ rights to access adult content and argues that it fails in its objective to safeguard minors. The adult entertainment company, however, has agreed to honor the law by disabling their service in the state.
Authorities in Texas welcomed the news, with Texas Family Project President Brady Gray stating, “Texas families just keep winning!” Gray went on to acknowledge pro-family advocates who played key roles in advancing the legislative agenda.
House Bill 1181 enforces a $10,000 daily penalty for platforms that fail to confirm users’ age. Pornhub, among others, made futile attempts to prevent the bill from taking effect, arguing that it contravened the First Amendment and users’ privacy rights. Despite a temporary reprieve granted by a lower court, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the law’s constitutionality.
Despite its claims to the contrary, PornHub behaves as if it wants minors to access its explicit, pornographic content. The same age-verification protocol has been enacted in seven other states, with Pornhub similarly opting to restrict access instead of implementing verification mechanisms. Last month, Texas AG Ken Paxton sued Pornhub’s parent company Aylo for refusing to comply with the new regulation.
This comes as the company contends with multiple lawsuits alleging exploitation of underage victims. In February, a Pornhub spokeswoman advocated for sex ed in kindergarten and implied she had watched children masturbate.
