The Blubber

Web searches for VPNs swell 400% in Texas as Pornhub blocks access, per NYP.

Searches for virtual private networking (VPN) software surged in Texas this week after Pornhub suspended its service in the state due to a law mandating adult websites to verify user ages or identities.

The significant increase in Google searches for tools to bypass state-level blocking suggests that the law might be causing unintended consequences, following a federal appeals court's decision to uphold the legislation.

Users with Texas IP addresses visiting Pornhub's site now encounter a full-page message criticizing the Texas law as "ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous."

The message explains the website's decision to block access in Texas as a means of compliance with the law, but expresses hope for the implementation of laws worldwide that truly protect user safety and security.

Search interest in VPNs in Texas surged on Thursday compared to the rest of the country, quadrupling in the hours after Pornhub's announcement before slightly decreasing by early Friday morning, according to a CNN analysis of Google Trends data.

While Google Trends only shows correlations between events and is a snapshot of relative search interest, the rapid search spike, particularly from within Texas, suggests a potential connection between the law and Pornhub's users, according to Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group.

Greer noted that similar spikes in VPN searches occurred in response to age verification laws in other states. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), another digital rights group, also opposes such laws, stating that no one should have to provide their driver's license to access free websites.

Pornhub has withdrawn from multiple states due to age verification laws, including Montana, Utah, and Virginia. The situation underscores the ongoing debate in state legislatures across the country regarding the requirements for websites to conduct age verification.