Porn sites still accessible in Virginia despite age verification law
Why it matters: Virginia was among the first states to require age verification for adult sites, but an Axios review found progress has been slow.
By the numbers: Of the top 57 active "porn tube" sites listed on toppornsites.com, as of Tuesday:
Only four asked Virginians for age verification with a government-issued ID, as the 2023 law mandates.
16 were blocked entirely, and 3 just required a click of a button to access.
The rest (nearly 65%) were wide open.
Flashback: When the Virginia Mercury did the same review a month after the law went into effect in 2023, far more sites were available without restrictions.
The big picture: It could signal the uphill battle for other states — like Georgia, South Dakota and Wyoming — after similar legislation went into effect last week.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that a Texas law mandating age verification on adult sites doesn't violate the First Amendment.
Major adult sites like PornHub and Youporn are choosing to block access in age-verification states instead of complying, saying the law "will put children and your privacy at risk."
That's led to people seeking workarounds like virtual private networks (VPNs).
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