Virtual private network (VPN) services have seen a sharp increase in demand in France after Pornhub and several other adult websites suspended access to users in the country. The move comes ahead of incoming French regulations requiring adult platforms to implement age verification systems.
Aylo Freesites, which owns Pornhub, Redtube, and YouPorn, began restricting access on Wednesday, redirecting visitors to a message protesting the measures, claiming they jeopardize user privacy while failing to keep minors off its platforms. A representative told AFP that the notice explains “how dangerous, how potentially privacy-infringing, and how ineffective the French law is.”
On Thursday, ProtonVPN reported a 1,000% increase in registrations within 30 minutes of the suspension taking effect. In a post on X, the company said the surge was larger than the spike that followed efforts to ban TikTok in the US.
NordVPN also reported a significant rise in demand. A spokesperson told Politico its service saw a 170% usage increase, saying such spikes are common “wherever digital freedoms are threatened or content is censored.”
According to tracking firm Top10VPN, overall demand for VPNs in France rose by 334% on June 4, compared to the average of the previous 28 days.
France has set a compliance deadline of June 7 under a 2023 law mandating that adult websites adopt “robust” age checks to prevent minors from accessing explicit material. Sites that fail to comply could face fines or be blocked entirely within France.
The French system envisions using third-party verification software that confirms a user’s age without collecting personal data. However, Aylo has argued that existing tools are either unreliable or still pose privacy risks. Solomon Friedman, vice president of Aylo’s owner, Ethical Capital Partners, said the industry needs secure, device-level solutions instead. “Google, Apple, and Microsoft all have the capability built into their operating systems,” he said.
France was Pornhub’s second-largest traffic source in 2024 after the US, according to Aylo data.
French officials have defended the measures as necessary to protect minors. Minister Delegate Aurore Berge said the platforms chose to leave “for the better” and claimed their absence would reduce “violent, degrading, and humiliating” content accessible to children.
Alongside Spain and Greece, France has also urged EU-wide measures targeting platforms such as Facebook and X, citing a lack of effective age screening.
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