Florida porn law sees 10-fold increase in VPN demand
Porn restrictions are now in place across 17 US states, with more to follow
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Your support makes all the difference.Florida and South Carolina have seen a massive surge in VPN use since new laws were introduced to prevent people from visiting adult websites without government-approved ID.
Online searches for ‘free VPN’ rose more than 400 per cent in both states after the restrictions came into force at the start of the year, according to Google Trends, while researchers from vpnMentor noted a 1,150 per cent spike in demand in Florida.
Virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow users to bypass geo restrictions by making it appear that their device is in a different location, have seen a significant increase in use since parts of the US began implementing age-verification mandates in 2023.
“A VPN allows users to mask their IP addresses and encrypt their internet traffic, providing an added layer of privacy and security while browsing online,” vpnMentor wrote in a blog post detailing the trend.
“Florida’s new law on pornographic websites and the consequent rise of VPN usage emphasize the intricate interplay between technology, privacy, and regulatory frameworks. With laws pertaining to online activities constantly changing, it is imperative for users and website operators alike to remain knowledgeable about regulations and ensure compliance.”
Porn restrictions have now been introduced across 17 states in the US, with Florida and South Carolina enforcing the latest age verification laws on 1 January. Georgia is also set to implement new laws preventing under 18s from visiting adult websites from July 2025.
Pornhub and other popular adult websites have blocked access to their sites in most of the states in response to the laws, claiming that they violate user privacy and safety.
Pornhub continues to operate in Louisiana, despite age restriction laws being implemented last year that require visitors to provide state-approved identification. The site has since reported an 80 per cent drop in traffic in that state.
A spokesperson for Pornhub’s parent company Aylo, which also owns RedTube and YouPorn, told The Independent that it was unable to share data relating to VPN use, but acknowledged that users were finding methods to evade the restrictions.
“Aylo has publicly supported age verification of users for years, but we believe that any law to this effect must preserve user safety and privacy, and must effectively protect children from accessing content intended for adults,” the spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately, the way many jurisdictions worldwide have chosen to implement age verification is ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous... The best solution to make the internet safer, preserve user privacy, and prevent children from accessing adult content is performing age verification at the source: on the device. The technology to accomplish this exists today. What is required is the political and social will to make it happen.”
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