After Pornhub left France, this VPN saw a 1,000% surge in signups in 30 minutes

Porn markets and “Western world”

• Some discuss why France is Pornhub’s second-biggest market: population is similar to the UK, and Germany has partial ISP-level blocking, so it was “always a tossup”.
• Others note Germany users quickly switched to a different Pornhub domain, so the impact of German blocks may be overstated.
• Side debate on what counts as the “Western world” (prior colonial powers vs former colonies, economics and race) without clear consensus.

French law, Pornhub exit, and VPN spike

• France requires porn sites to implement strong age verification; Pornhub chose to block French users instead, prompting heavy VPN signup spikes.
• Using a VPN is legal in France, but illegal acts via VPN are not; some commenters call French extraterritorial rules (e.g., on paternity DNA tests) “stupid” and paternalistic, others explain the rationale as family/child protection.

Age verification vs. parental responsibility

• One camp: adult-site ID checks are like alcohol laws—society routinely restricts what can be sold to children because self-control and parental supervision aren’t enough.
• Opposing camp: device-level content controls and actual parenting are the “only true solution”; otherwise you just push kids to worse, unmoderated sites.
• Many note kids routinely bypass technical controls (router blocks, Apple restrictions, school filters), sometimes with help from tools like ChatGPT.

Is porn “poisonous”? Addiction and comparison to other media

• Some equate porn to alcohol: inherently harmful or “poisonous,” especially for young brains; others stress it depends on the individual, and can function as a harmless outlet.
• Long subthread compares porn, social media, and apps like TikTok/Instagram as “dopamine machines” that can distort reward systems; counter-argument is that any pleasure source can be misused and the core problem is poor cultural/mental hygiene, not a specific medium.

Privacy, blackmail, and VPN use

• Several argue VPNs are prudent for adult content because of past copyright and extortion schemes (e.g., porn producers threatening to expose downloaders).
• One commenter questions why anyone should care if their porn history became public; others respond with:
  • Real risks in repressive or religious contexts (LGBT users, kink stigma).
  • Changing politics: data that’s harmless now could be weaponized later.
  • General principle that privacy is a right even if you’re not “ashamed.”
• Debate over whether social ostracism for porn habits is likely or overblown; some say exposure would cost jobs, relationships, or even safety in some places.

Age‑verification technology and its risks

• Some describe “double-blind”/token systems where:
  • A verifier checks ID and issues an 18+ token.
  • Porn sites only see the token, not identity.
  • Verifier doesn’t see which site you visit.
• Supporters say this meaningfully reduces blackmail risk versus sites collecting raw IDs; critics note:
  • Any UUID/token system can be de-anonymized or leaked.
  • Data-protection laws and audits help but don’t prevent breaches.
  • Even being known to have an “adult token” may be stigmatizing in some cultures.
• Others propose ISP-based age tokens or OS/browser-level “NSFW allowed” flags; opponents worry about:
  • Normalizing age-linked identity on the web, enabling Sybil-resistance and tighter surveillance.
  • “Only approved clients” web, reinforcing Apple/Google/Microsoft gatekeeping.

Parents, kids, and practical limits

• Many agree parents should educate kids about sex, online risks, and mental hygiene, but:
  • Cheap, unsupervised devices and public Wi-Fi make pure parental control unrealistic.
  • Some parents lack technical ability; kids often outsmart basic restrictions.
• Analogies used: internet as guns (requires training/supervision), as swimming pools (teach to “swim” rather than rely solely on fences), or as freeways (fences still matter because dangers are not obvious).

Moral evaluations of porn and calls for bans

• One detailed anti-porn view portrays the industry as systemically exploitative of vulnerable young women, with coordinated male “teams” pushing them into ever more harmful acts, often ending in addiction and prostitution; therefore, visiting sites like Pornhub is seen as complicity.
• Multiple replies push back:
  • Accuse this view of cherry-picking or generalizing extreme abuse cases.
  • Point out the existence of consensual, contract-based and amateur porn.
  • Compare banning porn because of abuses to banning shoes because some are made in sweatshops; advocate targeting bad actors instead.
• Broader sentiment is mixed:
  • Some support strict regulation or even bans; others think porn is “good” or at least a safer outlet than early real-life sex.
  • Many agree porn is not sex education and can distort expectations, but disagree on whether policy should focus on bans, education, or platform design.

VPN industry and user behavior

• Discussion notes that many VPN “winners” are driven by aggressive marketing; some fear shady providers that resell “residential” IPs.
• Proton VPN is highlighted due to its Swiss jurisdiction, privacy branding, and free tier; others assume multiple VPNs benefited, but Proton publicized the spike.
• A few wonder why users fixate on Pornhub when “millions of other sites” exist, suggesting the policy may be more symbolic than effective.