France on the black pornhuba list
“Freedom has no switch” such an inscription today welcomed French Internet users visiting popular erotic websites. Instead of adult films, a picture of Marianna, a French symbol of the Republic and Freedom. This is the sharp protest of Aylo, the owner of the largest portals with adult content. Reason? French provisions ordering confirmation of the user’s age by means of an identity or credit card.
This is the first such visible “blackout” of erotic giants in response to regulations. And it’s not just about protecting children. As Aylo says: “This is a risk for privacy that threatens all users.”
7 million French cut off from their favorite entertainment
France is the second largest Pornhuba market in the world, right after the United States. According to the LE Parisien daily, over 7 million people use the services belonging to Aylo every day. Average time of visit? Nearly 10 minutes. This is more than in Poland, where the average is 8 minutes and 35 seconds.
For comparison: the Netherlands, leader of the European ranking, can boast of over 10 minutes 50 seconds. In this context, the French blockade is not only a blow to users’ habits, but also a powerful loss for the entire industry.
The government says “their choice” and Internet users?
Clara Chappaz, French minister for digitization, commented briefly: “If Aylo prefers to leave the market, then their decision.” And she added: “We will see each other when they decide to respect the law of the republic.”
On the other hand, Aylo is not inferior. The company argues that forcing users to provide sensitive personal data opens the way to abuse, leaks and hacker attacks. In addition, they say, minors will find the way to illegal, uncontrolled sources that are not subject to any regulations or principles of ethics.
Not only France, a global trend
France is not an exception – it’s the beginning. Pornhub has already left 18 US states, including Texas, Florida and North Carolina, precisely because of similar regulations. Will other European countries follow the example of Paris? The discussion continues: how to protect children without violating adult privacy?
