Porn sites still open in Ohio despite age verification law
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Many porn sites are still unrestricted in Ohio, despite a new law in effect limiting their access to only adults.
Why it matters: Laws are only effective if enforced — and so far, things aren't looking good.
The big picture: About half of states have similar laws in place, which the Supreme Court upheld in June. The United Kingdom enacted a law in July.
- But many users work around the restrictions by hacking, using VPNs (which hide a device's location), or by just switching to websites that aren't restricting access.
There are a lot of them, an Axios review found.
By the numbers: Of the top 58 active porn sites listed on a web tracker as of Monday, only two asked Ohioans for age verification with a government-issued ID or other records, which the law mandates for sites with "obscene" material.
- Eleven more were blocked entirely, eight just required a click of a button to access, and one required confirming a payment method.
- The rest — about 62% — were wide open to anybody.
Stunning stats: Two years after implementing its age verification law, Virginia's numbers were about the same as Ohio's.
The intrigue: Popular site Pornhub has blocked itself in states with laws instead of complying, but is staying online in Ohio due to an apparent legal loophole.
- Pornhub's parent company says it's an "interactive computer service" — an exception in Ohio law that protects platforms like search engines and social media, but could unintentionally allow some porn sites too.
- As of yesterday, Pornhub only required users to click a button saying they're 18 or older.
What they're saying: "There is a need for age verification on what should be restricted content for minors, and we intend to enforce the law," Ohio Attorney General spokesperson Bethany McCorkle tells Axios.
- The AG's office can sue websites that don't comply, but McCorkle didn't say whether any enforcement action has occurred yet.
The bottom line: For now, Ohio's new porn law appears to be more suggestion than restriction.