An overview of the shifting digital landscape as age verification laws requiring government identification take effect across 25 U.S. states and three countries by October 2026.
The report examines how platforms like Pornhub respond by restricting access rather than complying, alongside related regulatory developments concerning virtual private networks and online privacy.
Where do restrictions apply?
Measures or pending shutdowns are recorded in many areas, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. In contrast, Louisiana and Ohio remain accessible without identification, despite efforts to close the relevant legal loopholes.
At the same time, states like Utah and Michigan are pushing for restrictions or bans on location-anchoring tools. In fact, Utah's age-verification law is facing temporary resistance from the Supreme Court.
Protection and browsing options
For those who wish to bypass restrictions or protect their privacy, there are many well-known services on the market with different features:
- Proton VPN: Offers a free plan, connection to up to 10 devices simultaneously, and NetShield to block ads and tracking tools.
- NordVPN: It features the ThreatProtection Pro protection system and uses the custom NordLynx protocol.
- Surfshark VPN: Provides unlimited simultaneous device connections and servers in the United States in over 20 city locations.
- ExpressVPN: It operates with more than 3.000 servers in 105 countries, featuring the Lightway protocol and a Network Lock security switch.
- TunnelBear VPN: Offers unlimited device connections and a free plan with a 2GB limit per month, as well as GhostBear encryption protocol.
- Private Internet Access VPN: It has city-level servers in every state in the United States and a MACE ad blocking tool.
- CyberGhost VPN: Maintains a network of over 11.500 servers and options in 11 American cities.
- Windscribe VPN: Offers anonymous registration, various payment methods such as cash and cryptocurrencies, as well as the Robert content filtering feature.
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