The new year brought new laws, most notably a Florida law requiring age verification to access websites with adult content. Florida is the latest state to restrict adult sites, but it has started a wave of interest in finding ways to comply with the rule, especially since Pornhub — one of the largest and most popular adult site — Florida access. VPNsa way of keeping your internet activity private, is more in demand now than ever.
What is a VPN?
VPN stands for virtual private network. It's like connecting to the internet through a hidden tunnel instead of out in the open. VPNs encrypt your traffic and can hide your “home” address so sites can't tell where you really are. That's related to increased interest for VPNs in states that have enacted age-verification laws for accessing adult content online. Here's everything you need to know about VPNs.
VPNs are not the only potential way to access prohibited or explicit material. Many people rely on them for privacy and to protect high-value or sensitive personal and business data. Streaming video aficionados have long used VPNs to watch shows, movies or sports that may have been locked out of their own areas. TikTok fans are also investigating VPNs as a possible way around the prohibitive ban on the popular social media app.
How about a proxy?
A proxy server is another way to bypass regional restrictions. Like a VPN, a proxy masks your IP address (your “home” address) to make it look like you're somewhere else. However, it doesn't offer the same privacy as a VPN, which also encrypts your data. Learn the difference between VPNs and proxies and when to use each.
Florida joins the age verification trend
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 3 in March 2024, although it went into effect at the beginning of 2025. The bill focuses on preventing minors under the age of 14 from becoming social media account holders.
“In addition to protecting children from the dangers of social media, HB 3 requires pornographic or sexually explicit websites to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing those site not suitable for children,” DeSantis' office said in a statement last year.
Users must prove they are 18 or older. Websites that do not comply are subject to penalties of up to $50,000 per violation.
Florida's age verification requirement is part of a trend of states that have passed or implemented similar mandates. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
The movement began in earnest in 2022 when Louisiana passed age verification requirements. Many of these laws impose fines or allow a website to be sued for damages unless it uses an age verification process.
Pornhub is going dark
While some adult sites have rolled out age verification systems, major pornographic website Pornhub has chosen to go dark in states with age verification laws, citing concerns over privacy in requiring IDs.
Pornhub's decision is understandable in a 2024 year-in-review blog post which includes a map of popular search terms by state. States Pornhub no longer services appear gray on the US map. CNET did not immediately hear back from Pornhub's parent company Aylo in response to a request for comment.
VPN interest is on the rise
VPN review and advocacy site vpnMentor noted a sharp increase in demand for VPN services in Florida coinciding with HB 3 taking effect.
“vpnMentor's research team has observed a significant surge in VPN usage across the state of Florida, with a surprising increase noted in the early hours of January 1st that has been steadily increasing since the last minute of 2024 and reached its peak of 1,150% just four hours after HB 3 law took effect,” said the organization in a statement on January 2.
VpnMentor saw similar spikes when state bans on Pornhub were rolled out Utah in 2023 and Texas in 2024.
It is taken to the Supreme Court
Age verification laws at the state level face legal challenges. The adult trade association Free Speech Coalition is active in fighting age verification laws. The group sued Florida in December to block the state's new law and has already challenged similar laws in other states.
“While keeping minors away from adult content is a laudable goal, the government has no right to force legal adults to scan their face, upload of photo ID or otherwise give up their privacy to access the internet,” said Alison Bodenexecutive director of the Free Speech Coalition, in a statement on January 6.
A national precedent for state age verification laws may soon be set. The Supreme Court agreed to take up the Free Speech Coalition's case against the Texas law. The court heard oral arguments on Jan. 15. It may take several months for the Supreme Court to issue a decision.
Choosing a VPN
VPNs have been around for a long time, but their increasing popularity means that more internet users are looking for advice on choosing the right one. Not all VPNs are created equal. CNET generally does not recommend free VPN services. When evaluating a VPN, consider privacy standards, speed and price. Check out CNET's top VPN recommendations.
Age verification laws continue to be a battleground. No one is arguing that minors should have access to adult sites, but the issue shapes what mechanisms should be used or needed to protect minors. VPNs remain a hot topic, whether related to online pornography, general privacy or TikTok.
