HOUSTON – Searches for virtual private networking (VPN) software briefly spiked in Texas this week after Pornhub went dark.
The Canadian-based website cited Texas HB 1181 as their reason for restricting access in the Lone Star state. The law states that porn websites need to ensure visitors are over 18, and will fine them $10,000 per day if pornography is available without age restrictions.
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When a Texas IP address visits Pornhub’s website, a lengthy message condemning the law appears.
But VPN’s are emerging as way of getting around the restriction, allowing users to establish a private connection through encryption.
VPN’s make it so websites don’t see your IP address. They see the IP address of the VPN.
But there are risks.
The VPN does see your IP address, and all of your traffic, so you have to trust them not to keep logs of your personal information.
That doesn’t appear to be a deterrent, however. New data by SlashGear shows a staggering 1,750% increase in Google search trends for “Texas VPN” in the past day.
The spike in VPN searches has many questioning just how effective the law is, but Texas is far from alone in its efforts to block minors from seeing explicit content.
Pornhub has also shut down in Montana, Utah, North Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Virginia over similar laws.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton posted on X Thursday celebrating Pornhub’s decision to withdraw from the state.
“Sites like PornHub are on the run,” he wrote, adding: “In Texas, companies cannot get away with showing porn to children. If they don’t want to comply, good riddance.”
Pornhub said in a blog post that it supports age verification, but believes this should be set up on a user’s device, without requiring them to send data over the internet to third parties.