PornHub Forced To Shut Down Operations In This State After Landmark Legal Battle

Consequently, PornHub has announced the cessation of its operations across the state.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, on Tuesday, lifted a previous injunction against the age-verification requirement for accessing the site, thereby ensuring the rules remain in force. However, the court sustained an injunction against a section of House Bill 1181 that mandated the pornography provider to display a health warning on its landing page and all advertisements.

In a public letter to its users on Thursday, PornHub contended that the ban infringes on its First Amendment rights. The company also highlighted the selective application of the rules, stating, "As you may know, your elected officials in Texas are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. Not only does this impinge on the rights of adults to access protected speech, it fails strict scrutiny by employing the least effective and yet also most restrictive means of accomplishing Texas’s stated purpose of allegedly protecting minors."

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The company further criticized the law's inability to enforce age verification at scale, arguing that it leaves thousands of platforms open and accessible. PornHub also expressed concerns about the law's effectiveness and safety, stating, "Unfortunately, the Texas law for age verification is ineffective, haphazard and dangerous. Not only will it not actually protect children, but it will also inevitably reduce content creators’ ability to post and distribute legal adult content and directly impact their ability to share the artistic messages they want to convey with it."

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March 17, 2024

In response to the law, PornHub has decided to disable access to its website in Texas, hoping that governments worldwide will implement laws that genuinely safeguard the safety and security of users.

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The court's decision earlier this week was applauded by conservative groups, including the Texas Family Project. Its president, Brady Gray, hailed the ruling as a victory, stating, "Texas families just keep winning! First a dominant election night for grassroots conservatives, then the 5th circuit ruling on parental consent for contraceptions, and now this. Pornhub has disabled access to its platform in Texas.”

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Gray also expressed gratitude for pro-family champions like Nate Schatzline, who made this a significant issue in the 88th legislature, and Ken Paxton, who continues to demonstrate why he is the greatest AG in the country.

Texas is not alone in passing such legislation. Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Utah, and Virginia have all enacted similar age verification laws, prompting PornHub to withdraw from all seven of these states as well.