By Gemma Kelly, Head of Policy and Public Affairs
The times certainly are a-changing for the pornography industry and this time it is for the betterment of society.
In May, Germany’s Berlin Administrative Court upheld a “network ban” on Pornhub and YouPorn for failing to comply with Germany’s age verification regulations.
Not long after, the EU began an investigation into four pornography platforms – Pornhub (again), Stripchat, XNXX, and XVideos over suspicions they are not implementing age verification to prevent children accessing their platforms, as per the EU Digital Services Act.
In early June, Aylo the owners of Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, voluntarily shut down in France in protest against French laws on age verification. Aurore Bergé, Minister for Equality Between Women and Men responded on X with perhaps one of the best responses we’ve ever seen by a politician, writing: “Au revoir… There will be less violent, degrading and humiliating content accessible to minors in France.”
Aylo has since restarted operating in France, while the Paris Administrative Tribunal decides whether France’s requirement on age verification is compatible with EU legislation. This has not dissuaded the French Government’s commitment to regulate the pornography industry, and it intends to appeal to the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court.
And finally in June in the United States, the Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring pornography sites to implement age verification to protect children from accessing their sites.
These are all major victories for protecting children and young people from the harms of pornography and a statement to pornography platforms that no matter how hard they fight it, regulation is coming.
All eyes on now on the UK where in a few weeks – from 25 July 2025 – pornography sites will have to begin implementing age verification or face enforcement action from the regulator, Ofcom.
Let’s hope we are not the country to give pornography sites a free pass.