Pornhub Exits France, Its Second-Biggest Market, Over Age Verification Law

TL;DR

• Aylo suspends access to Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube in France to protest new age-verification requirements
  
• Arcom criticizes Aylo for “shirking the requirement of protecting minors” despite available verification solutions
  
• France was Pornhub’s No. 2 market in 2024, behind the U.S.; global jurisdictions increasingly mandate age checks
  

Pornhub’s parent company, Aylo, has suspended access to its user-generated platforms—including Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube—in France, its second-largest audience by daily traffic. The move follows Paris’s enactment of a stringent age-verification law that requires pornography sites to confirm every user’s age before granting access . Despite warnings from Arcom—the French communications regulator—that failure to comply endangers minors, Aylo maintains technical and privacy objections to the new rules.

Age Verification Law Sparks Standoff

In 2024, France passed legislation mandating that all online pornography sites implement robust age-verification technology to prevent minors from accessing adult content. Enforcement began in early June 2025, prompting Aylo to block traffic from French IP addresses. Arcom’s October implementation guidelines stipulate that verification can include bank card checks or government-issued ID validation. Rather than comply, Aylo argued that such measures expose millions of French users to potential data breaches .

Aylo’s Privacy vs. Regulatory Compliance

Aylo’s vice president of brand and community, Alex Kekesi, stated that the company spent “years trying to work with Paris to find a way to verify users’ ages without exposing sensitive personal data.” He insisted that age checks should occur at the device level—handled by tech platforms like Apple, Google, and Microsoft—not on pornography sites . Aylo, owned by Ethical Capital Partners, contends the French law forces it either to collect highly sensitive user credentials or exit the market entirely.

By suspending access, Aylo effectively “refuses to comply with requirements protecting minors,” Arcom criticized in a public statement. The regulator also emphasized that numerous age-verification solutions already exist, enabling verification while preserving user privacy. Arcom added that Aylo’s decision penalizes all users—including consenting adults—by denying them access .

France’s Role as a Key Market

According to Pornhub’s traffic analytics, France ranked second globally for daily visitors in 2024, behind only the United States . Industry data show that roughly 15 million unique French users visited Pornhub monthly, generating significant ad and subscription revenue. Losing this market could cost Aylo an estimated 10–15 percent of its daily traffic and associated ad-revenue streams.

French gender equality minister Aurore Bergé tweeted, “Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube refuse to comply with our legal framework and decide to leave. Good!” . Bergé argued that minors will now have reduced exposure to violent or degrading content, a cornerstone objective of the 2024 law. Nonetheless, adult users and advocacy groups warn that blocking entire platforms harms lawful users without necessarily preventing underage access via illegal VPNs or proxy servers.

Global Trend Toward Age Verification

France is not alone. In the United States, at least 19 states have enacted laws requiring pornography sites to confirm users’ ages through government-issued ID checks, facial recognition, or credit card verification . Sites like Pornhub have already blocked traffic from states such as Louisiana, Arkansas, and Montana rather than invest millions to implement verification systems.

Many adult platforms argue that age-verification costs are prohibitive, especially for smaller operators. However, regulators counter that these measures protect minors and reduce exploitation. The European Commission recently announced development of a privacy-preserving age-verification app, allowing citizens to prove they are over 18 without disclosing additional personal data . France’s law is part of a broader EU push to strengthen child safety online, paralleling similar proposals in Germany, the U.K., and the Netherlands.

Data Box: France Age Verification Law Overview

CNN, Arcom October Guidelines, European Commission press release

Aurore Bergé’s Reaction and Public Debate

On X (formerly Twitter), Aurore Bergé celebrated Aylo’s exit as a victory for child protection. She argued that by leaving France, Aylo “demonstrates its unwillingness to safeguard minors”—though critics note that sophisticated teens may still bypass geo-blocks using VPNs. Privacy advocates also denounced mandatory ID checks, warning of potential data misuse or leaks. France’s National Commission on Informatics and Liberty (CNIL) has cautioned that storing ID data poses risks unless highly secure, encrypted solutions are used .

Blocking vs. Verifying: Technical Challenges

Aylo insisted that verifying ages on its platform risks exposing millions of user records to hacks. Instead, Aylo proposes a device-level solution: Apple, Google, or Microsoft would confirm age based on existing account profiles, then signal websites without revealing personal data. Critics say device checks can be spoofed or misrepresent user age if families share devices. Implementing truly anonymous but reliable verification remains a technical hurdle. Various startups claim to offer zero-knowledge age proofs, but these have yet to gain regulatory approval in France .

European Commission Investigation

In late May 2025, the European Commission launched a formal probe into Pornhub and other major adult sites for failing to meet EU-wide child protection standards. The Commission’s draft regulation aims to establish a unified age-verification framework across member states, reducing national inconsistencies. The proposed solution includes a mobile age-authentication app—set to roll out in late 2025—that verifies age without revealing identity details .

Wider Implications for Privacy and Content Moderation

France’s move underscores tension between content moderation, child safety, and user privacy. Adult platforms worry about storing payment or ID data, while regulators assert strict verification is the only reliable barrier against underage viewing. Meanwhile, countries like India and Brazil weigh similar bills requiring pornography platforms to block minors. These global shifts force businesses to navigate fragmented regulatory landscapes—balancing compliance costs against market access.

Conclusion

Pornhub’s exit from France spotlights a broader clash: privacy concerns versus stringent child-safety regulations. With France accounting for Pornhub’s second-largest national audience, the decision carries both symbolic and financial weight. As more jurisdictions worldwide introduce age-verification mandates, the adult entertainment industry faces a pivotal choice: implement robust, privacy-preserving solutions or risk losing key markets. The stakes extend beyond pornography—setting precedents for how regulators and tech companies handle user age, privacy, and content control across the internet.