DATELINE: RICHMOND, Va. – The adult content website Pornhub, one of the most visited sites in the world, has blocked users in Virginia over the state’s new age verification law.
The law taking effect July 1 will require websites with pornographic content to verify users in Virginia are at least 18 years old before they access the site’s content. The law, proposed by Republican state Sen. William M. Stanley Jr. (Franklin), sailed through the Virginia General Assembly.
Once the law takes effect, adult websites need to set up a method to verify a user’s age such as requiring people to submit digital copies of their identification online, scans or through a particular system. Sites that don’t comply could be open to civil lawsuits in Virginia.
However, Pornhub, in a message posted to its site Thursday, is arguing the law is not the most effective solution for protecting people visiting its site, and puts children and user privacy at risk.
“Until a real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Virginia,” wrote Pornhub.
Virginia now joins Utah, which has a similar age verification law, as states where Pornhub has blocked residents’ access to content due to legislation.
