Since 4 June 2025, French internet users have been unable to access the Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube websites. This decision was not made by the French authorities, nor was it the result of a court order, but rather by the Aylo group, which owns these platforms. It chose to voluntarily suspend access to these sites from France to protest against the legal requirement to impose age verification, a requirement that exists for the purpose of protecting minors.
The law exists to protect minors.
Every month, 2.3 million minors visit pornographic websites*. Every month, millions of minors have access to shocking content that is inappropriate for their age and impacts their psyche and mental health.
For more than four years, the Association e-Enfance / 3018 and La Voix De l'Enfant have been fighting a legal battle to enforce a simple principle enshrined in law: Pornographic websites must prevent minors from accessing their content by means of an age verification system.
It is essential to remember that this approach is not intended to restrict adults' access to pornography, but rather to ensure that children and adolescents are not exposed to inappropriate content.
"1,001,300 minors can now consume pornography online," warns Justine Atlan (E-Enfance). pic.twitter.com/ez1wdFgkzO
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) 4 June 2025
In practical terms, there are solutions available to websites that enable them to effectively verify the age of their users while ensuring privacy and anonymity. Contrary to Aylo's position, several websites have agreed to comply with the law. In November 2024, certain websites that refused to adapt were blocked by court order. This is not the case here: the closure of Aylo's sites is a unilateral decision, motivated by political and media considerations.
Protecting minors both online and offline is a collective responsibility. This fundamental right in no way conflicts with the right of adults to access content intended for their age group.
The e-Enfance / 3018 Association will continue to campaign for the law to be enforced and to promote effective solutions that respect individual freedoms.
*Source: ARCOM. 11 October 2024. Minors' access to pornographic content: Arcom publishes its guidelines.
