Searches for VPNs in Utah surge amid new pornography restrictions
Brady Knox
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Searches for virtual private networks spiked in Utah after the popular pornography site Pornhub cut off the state in response to new restrictions on pornography access.
Utah implemented an age-verification system for all pornography sites to restrict under-18 users from accessing adult material Tuesday. Senate Bill 287 mandates that websites with “a substantial portion of material that may be harmful to minors” must use a commercial age-verification system also known as an AVS. In response, Pornhub disabled its website in the state later on Tuesday, one day before the law was set to be implemented.
UTAH RESIDENTS BLOCKED FROM WATCHING PORNOGRAPHY
Data from Google Trends show the search volume in Utah for “VPN” spiked in the aftermath of Pornhub’s withdrawal and implementation of the age verification system. The volume of searches was several times higher than those of some states while being the highest in the United States.
A VPN provides a secure internet connection for users and allows them to encrypt their online traffic and disguise their presence, including location, letting them skirt internet restrictions limited to certain areas. A VPN would allow Utah residents to disable the AVS by appearing to be located in another state.
SB 287 passed unanimously in the Utah House and was signed by Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) but was met with backlash from Pornhub and other pornography sites. Pornhub withdrew entirely from the state in protest, posting a message to greet internet users when they click on the site.
“As you may know, your elected officials in Utah are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk,” the site’s message read, Fox 13 Now reported.
“We believe that the best and most effective solution for protecting children and adults alike is to identify users by their device and allow access to age-restricted materials and websites based on that identification,” it continued. “Until a real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Utah.”
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Utah representatives have defended the law as essential to protecting minors from harmful content and pointed out that it’s almost a copy of a Louisiana law, which was passed without much fanfare.
“They are complying with [Louisiana’s] law, which is essentially the same. So I expect they will eventually comply with Utah’s as well,” State Sen. Todd Weiler (R), the bill’s sponsor, told the outlet.