SIGH: The Age Verification Crackdown Hits Legacy Porn Hubs, What's Brewing in France & Germany
- by Rune Weichert
- 5 Minnie-omes
Online Pornography and Age Verification: Whose Side Wins the Discussion on Internet Regulation? - Debate over age restrictions for online pornography: Determining the victor
Oh boy, get ready for a bumpy ride if you're looking for a bit of naughty entertainment on sites such as Pornhub, Redtube, or Youporn, especially in France! These sites, owned by Aylo, have been on a week-long strike - against new porn-oriented regulations in France. These regulations demand that providers of internet smut install stringent age verification systems to keep minors from navigating the NSFW terrain. Just saying you're 18 and over won't cut it anymore.
- France
- Germany
- Marc Jan Eumann (that guy who sounds like he uses ten dollars' worth of pomade)
Let's see how this whole age verification thing goes down in France and Germany.
The Gallic Gallop: France
In France, the age verification regulations for porn sites are part of a larger endeavor to shield the young ones from encountering adult content. The regs call for mature websites to implement thorough age verification systems, often involving third-party services, and verify the age on each and every visit. The French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM) gets the power to squash platforms that don't comply with these regulations[5].
As of June 2025, major porn sites like Pornhub, RedTube, and YouPorn have shut their doors to French users in protest against these regulations[3][5]. This move is somewhat influenced by concerns regarding user privacy and the cost of implementation[4].
Der German Takt: Germany
The search results are a bit scant on specifics about age verification regulations for porn sites in Germany. However, Germany is known for its strict laws protecting minors from harmful content, which may include age verification methods for adult content. German law typically mandates platforms to abide by youth protection regulations. The specific age verification requirements for porn sites, though, are lacking in the information at hand.
What's Aylo Gonna Do?
Operators like Aylo, the owners of Pornhub, are getting hits from these regulations. In France, Aylo has opted to block access to its platforms over implementing the required age verification systems. This decision echoes concerns over user privacy and the financial headache of compliance[4]. In states resembling France, Aylo has taken similar actions to avoid spending heaps of cash on ID-checking services[4].
Regulations, Regulations, Where For Art Thou?
| Country | Regulationstatus | Impact on Operators ||---------|-----------------------------------------|-------------------------|| France | Tight age verification regulations | Operators like Aylo block access due to privacy troubles and costs[4][5]. || Germany| Specific regs for porn sites unclear | No clear impact, but likely to be subject to youth protection laws. |
To sum things up, while France has unambiguous age verification regulations impacting operators like Aylo, Germany's specific regulations for porn sites are still a bit foggy in our current data.
- France's strict age verification regulations for porn sites, enforced by the French Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (ARCOM), have led operators like Aylo to block access to their platforms due to privacy concerns and cost implications.
- Germany's specific regulations for porn sites are not as clear, but the country is known for its strict laws protecting minors from harmful content, which may include some form of age verification for adult content.
