A NEW map shows that a third of the United States has implemented laws to restrict access to porn for minors.
Florida has joined a growing list of US states that have passed legislation to limit access to adult websites for unaged internet users.
As of January 1, the list of states to limit access porn has risen to 18, with Georgia expected to join the list during the summer of 2025.
Before the start of the New Year, Pornhub chose to block access to its website for residents in 15 states due to laws cracking down on underage users.
Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Oklahoma, and Virginia all passed legislation requiring age verification to access porn.
Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina joined the list on January 1 after the states’ new laws went into effect.
Georgia will become the 19th state to add restrictions to porn websites when its law is enacted in July.
A new map shows that beginning in 2025, a third of US states have limitations in place for online adult content.
In Florida, starting on January 1, residents who want to visit adult content platforms must verify their age to prove they are 18 or over.
Porn users must verify their age regardless of the device they are using to visit the sites.
Adult content platforms must comply with Florida’s new law, known as HB 3, or face a $50,000 fine per violation.
Under the terms of the legislation, porn sites can not store the data to complete age checks and must delete the information.
However, adult content sites like Pornhub have opted to block access to their platform in Florida rather than comply with the new law.
Aylo, Pornhub’s parent company, said it believes that having its users share their identification poses a privacy risk.
“As you may know, your elected officials in Florida are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website,” the company said in a statement.
“While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk.”
The adult content company said its decision to block Pornhub in Florida was “difficult.”
Florida state Republican Chase Tramont, who sponsored the bill that passed in March 2024, rebutted Aylo’s decision, saying the company is simply choosing not to comply with the law.
“It’s not a situation where they can’t comply, they simply don;t want to comply,” Tramont said.
“If they truly believed in age verification and protecting children from accessing their sites, they would be doing it.”
Florida joins a growing number of states that requires users to verify their age when accessing adult content.
Georgia will join the list in July 2025, when a law placing limitations on porn platforms will take effect.
