New age verification rule causes Pornhub to shut down access in Missouri

[RandySF]

ornography sites that wish to operate in Missouri must now verify that users are adults before granting access to explicit content, under a new rule that went into effect Monday.

The change caused the porn industry’s largest website, Pornhub, to block access in Missouri, issuing a statement calling the new rule ineffective and a potential risk to user privacy.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who took over the policy after it was initiated by her predecessor, celebrated the news, calling Pornhub’s decision proof that the rule is needed.

“If a billion-dollar corporation would rather leave Missouri than verify that children are not accessing graphic sexual content,” she said, “that tells you everything you need to know about its priorities.”


https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/new-age-verification-rule-causes-pornhub-to-shut-down-access-in-missouri/

[gay texan]

1. ....and residents in MO

Just VPN around it.....

[hlthe2b]

2. THat was going to be my question. Do VPNs work?

They don't always work for streaming services (and region-blocked NFL games), I've noticed.

[AZJonnie]

4. Seems likely they would, as the porn site's motivation to block VPN access is minimal compared to the NFL

Basically the Pornhub site (and its ilk) are "loss leaders" insofar as they're designed to be free advertisements, whereas the NFL games are "the valuable product itself". Unless and until the porn sites have to worry that failing to block access via VPN's will cost them (financially or criminally) they wouldn't have any obvious motivation to do so, since it is extra expense and headache for them. That would be my guess

[hlthe2b]

5. Yeah.. That makes sense... n/t

[gay texan]

6. So far, so good

[belpejic]

3. Red flag

This has the potential to cause serious unrest in one of the U.S.'s ungovernable tribal regions.