Florida Porn Law Sees VPN Demand Increase 10x

Florida and South Carolina have seen massive increases in VPN use since introducing new laws to prevent adult websites from being visited without a government-approved ID.

According to Google Trends, online searches for “free VPN” in both states rose more than 400 percent after the restrictions took effect at the beginning of the year, while vpnMentor researchers noted a 1,150 percent increase in demand in Florida.

Virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow users to bypass geo-restrictions by pretending their device is located elsewhere, have seen a significant increase in use since parts of the US began enforcing age-verification laws in 2023. have had

In a blog post detailing the process, vpnMentor wrote: “A VPN allows users to hide their IP addresses and encrypt their internet traffic, providing an extra layer of privacy and security when Offers online browsing.

Florida’s new law on pornographic websites and the resulting increase in VPN use underscores the complex interplay between technology, privacy, and regulatory frameworks. Given that the laws governing online activities are constantly changing, it is essential for users and website operators to be aware of the regulations and ensure compliance with them.

Porn restrictions are now in place in 17 US states, with Florida and South Carolina implementing the latest age verification laws on January 1. Georgia is also set to implement new laws from July 2025 to prevent adults under 18 from visiting websites.

Pornhub and other popular adult websites have blocked access to their sites in most states in response to the laws, which they claim violate user privacy and safety.

Pornhub continues to operate in Louisiana despite age-restriction laws enacted last year requiring visitors to provide state-approved identification. Since then, the site has reported an 80 percent drop in traffic in that state.

A spokesperson for Pornhub’s parent company Aylo, which also owns RedTube and YouPorn, said: Independent which was unable to share data on VPN usage, but acknowledged that users find ways to circumvent the restrictions.

Ailo spokesperson said: “Ailo has publicly supported user age verification for many years, but we believe that any legislation in this area must protect user safety and privacy and must effectively prevent children from accessing content intended for “Adults are intended to be protected.”

Unfortunately, the way many jurisdictions around the world have chosen to implement age verification is inefficient, haphazard, and dangerous… The best solution to making the Internet safer, protecting user privacy, and preventing children from accessing adult content is to implement age verification. At source: on device The technology to do this exists today. What is needed is the political and social will to realize it.”