Security News > 2023 > May > PornHub blocked in Utah over SB287 age-verification law
Adult media creation company MindGeek has blocked access to its websites in Utah, including PornHub, Brazzers, RedTube, YouPorn, and Reality Kings, in response to a new law requiring sites to verify if a visitor from the state is 18 or older.
Failure to verify the age of visitors from Utah would make the company "Liable to an individual for damages resulting from a minor's accessing the material, including court costs and reasonable attorney fees as ordered by the court."
BleepingComputer has confirmed that, in response to SB287, MindGeek's properties are no longer accessible to visitors from Utah and instead display a message telling visitors to contact their representatives about switching to device-based age verification solutions.
"As you may know, your elected officials in Utah are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk."
Mandating age verification without proper enforcement gives platforms the opportunity to choose whether or not to comply.
BleepingComputer has contacted MindGeek to learn more about the device-based age verification systems they are proposing, but an answer was not immediately available.