On June 4, 2025, the websites Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube voluntarily suspended their access in France. Their parent company, Aylo, marked a turning point in its fight with the French authorities. This decision, presented as an almost militant act of protest, comes amid a tense regulatory context surrounding the protection of minors and privacy issues.
The French legal framework
Since the adoption of the SREN law (Security and Regulation of the Digital Space) in May 2024, pornographic sites must implement an age verification system that complies with a technical framework developed by Arcom, in collaboration with the CNIL. This framework imposes the principle of double anonymity: the user proves their age of majority via an independent third party, without the site knowing their identity, nor the service provider knowing which site is being visited. The goal is to reconcile the protection of minors (2.3 million of them access pornographic content each month in France) with respect for privacy.
Until now, tolerance has been the rule. Some platforms had already been sanctioned, and the deadline was approaching for both the hosts and the sites concerned. Rather than wisely wait for a sanction from Arcom, Aylo preferred to pull the rug out from under the legislators' feet by blocking its platforms itself.
Aylo's arguments: privacy or strategy?
Aylo justifies its withdrawal with three major arguments. First, the group believes that the age verification solutions imposed by France are "ineffective and dangerous." In a statement, Alex Kekesi, the group's vice president, claims that these devices expose user data to leaks or hacks, without preventing minors from accessing content via VPNs or other unregulated sites. The fact is, he's not wrong: despite all the goodwill of French regulators, it remains very easy to circumvent court decisions.
As an alternative solution, Aylo advocates local age verification, which would be entrusted to Apple, Google, and Microsoft. This approach would centralize responsibility among three major players, reducing the risks of mass data collection, according to them. On this point in particular, the debate remains open, but it is far from being as simplistic.
Finally, the group denounces a lack of dialogue with the French authorities, despite previous consultations. Contacted this week, Solomon Friedman, representative of the fund that owns Aylo, accused the government of favoring "symbolic" measures over pragmatic solutions.
The State's response: priority given to the protection of minors
In opposition to Aylo's statements, Minister Clara Chappaz emphasizes that the Arcom standard guarantees "highly protective requirements" for users. She also points out that competitors of the Canadian group have already successfully complied with it, proving its technical feasibility.
Faced with liberticidal arguments, the government insists on the urgency of protecting minors: 35% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 access Pornhub every month. Economically, France represents the second largest market in the world for the X-rated site, with 7 million daily visitors. By leaving this lucrative market, Aylo is taking a financial risk, but above all hopes to influence current European regulations.
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