How to Access PornHub & Other Porn Sites in Texas
Texas' age verification law requires the submission of a valid ID before you can access adult sites. The law was enforced on September 1, 2023, and access to porn sites has been blocked since March 14, 2024. That said, after being forced to implement age verification checks and collect personally identifiable information, PornHub and its affiliates are no longer available in Texas.
The reasoning behind this law is that the younger generations need protection from freely available adult content. Texas lawmakers claim that pornography is addictive and contributes to body image and mental health issues, which is not backed by science.
Right off the bat, we’ll tell you that you can bypass the Texas age verification law quite easily. With a VPN, you can change your virtual location and access PornHub without any restrictions. On top of that, no one will see your porn-related activities.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch porn in Texas with a VPN, explain why VPNs are essential in this case, and discuss Texas’ latest age verification laws. We'll also talk about the status of the age verification porn law rollout, which porn sites require ID checks in Texas, and explain PornHub’s decision to block access in Texas before we finish with a round of FAQs.
How to Watch PornHub in Texas with a VPN?
The trick is to obtain an IP address from a state where Pornhub is freely available, which will change your virtual location. For that, you need to sign up for a VPN and download its app - like so:
- Get a VPN that unblocks PornHub in Texas (we recommend NordVPN).
- Download and install the VPN on your device (computer, phone, tablet, etc.).
- Open the VPN app and use your credentials to log in.
- Pick a server in a US state with free access to porn (New York or California, for example).
- Keep the VPN running while you bypass PornHub’s age verification. That’s it!
At the moment, PornHub isn’t accessible in Texas, Virginia, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Arkansas, Utah, and Mississippi (all these states require age verification checks). In other words, connect to a VPN server in any state aside from those listed above, and you’ll unblock PornHub.
Why VPNs Are Essential for Watching Porn in Texas?
A VPN allows you to access PornHub and other adult sites by bypassing age verification. In other words, they help you change your virtual location, giving you access to restricted, censored, and geo-blocked content. Aside from that, they’ll hide your IP and enhance your digital privacy.
Without a VPN (as seen in the image above), PornHub will display a note after detecting your Texas IP address. You’ll see a long explanation, which starts with: “As you may know, your elected officials in Texas are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. Not only does this impinge on the rights of adults to access protected speech, it fails strict scrutiny by employing the least effective and yet also most restrictive means of accomplishing Texas's stated purpose of allegedly protecting minors.”
After connecting to a state with free access to adult content (New York or California, for example), you’ll access PornHub as you did before Texas’ porn ban, without any blocks. Here’s more information on how a VPN can help you:
- Gain Access to PornHub and Other Adult Sites: VPNs change your virtual location, allowing you to browse the Web using an IP from a different state or abroad. As such, they help you watch porn in Texas by accessing PornHub and other adult sites.
- Go Around Age Verification Checks: Adult websites are now forced to implement age verification checks in Texas and store your ID on their servers. A VPN is the most secure way to get around PornHub age verification.
- Reach a Higher Level of Privacy When Browsing: As you connect to a VPN server, you get a new IP address, meaning your original IP will be hidden. Your Internet provider, websites, and digital trackers won’t be able to intrude on your privacy.
- Interact with the Web Safely and Securely: VPNs work by encrypting your data, making it invisible to anyone online. They also prevent trackers from working, and many even have antimalware components that help you stay clear of potentially dangerous websites.
Of course, not every VPN service is good enough to unblock PornHub in Texas. Our #1 pick is NordVPN, as it’s proven to be the best VPN for bypassing geo-blocks and one of the fastest VPNs available. So, you get speed, privacy protection, and open access to the Web.
What Is Texas’ New Age Verification Law?
Texas’ HB 1181 law passed in June 2023, asking companies that offer “sexual material harmful to minors” to implement age-verification checks. Initially, it also required adult websites to show a “health warning,” saying that pornography increases the demand for prostitution, child exploitation, and child pornography.
At first, Texas’ age verification law was postponed as companies behind adult websites tried overturning it. In the most recent development, the age verification portion was ruled to be justified, while the health warning requirement was struck down.
As of right now, accessing pornography in Texas is possible only after proving identity. That’s done by submitting government-issued identification, such as an ID card or passport. In other words, websites must ensure their visitors are 18 or older.
Why Is PornHub Blocking Access in Texas?
PornHub is blocking access in Texas because the company behind the website is firmly against the implementation of age verification checks. More precisely, Aylo (the owner of PornHub) thinks that age verification is justified, but only when done right.
Per the company’s statements, submitting highly sensitive data, such as your ID card, creates a substantial security risk. That’s because it’s based on age verification software that asks users to hand over highly sensitive data, introducing the risk of data breaches. There’s also the possibility of malicious actors using that data to exploit and extort people.
PornHub proposes to replace software-based identity checks that store sensitive data with a device-based solution. The adult content platform recommends identifying users at the source – by their device or account on the device. That way, users would only get verified once, through their operating system, not on each age-restricted site.
In the meantime, while the battle between the porn industry and Texas lawmakers continues, PornHub and many other adult sites remain inaccessible in Texas. More precisely, not only in Texas but also in Virginia, Montana, Louisiana, North Carolina, Arkansas, Utah, and Mississippi.
Watching Adult Content in Texas
Texas' age verification law has already forced a number of adult sites to block users from this US state, which is their way of protesting age verification checks and data logging. Other sites decided to comply with the new law.
More precisely, sites like Pornhub, RedTube, xHamster, Brazzers, and YouPorn have completely blocked access to Texans. Chaturbate was forced through legal means to implement age verification checks. There are also sites like xVideos and XNXX that have not implemented any restrictive measures.
Here's a brief overview of the availability of the most popular porn sites in Texas:
What's the Status of Porn Age Verification Law Rollout in Texas?
After being forced to implement age verification checks, the first response by some of the biggest adult sites was to block access to Texans. Some also tried to bypass age verification requirements, which led Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to sue companies behind brands like Chaturbate and xHamster. Chaturbate responded by implementing the required age checks.
In the meantime, sites like Pornhub, RedTube, xHamster, Brazzers, and YouPorn remain unavailable in this US state. A trade group representing adult entertainment performers ('Free Speech Coalition') tried to put the law on hold just recently but failed in its effort. The Supreme Court of the United States denied the appeal on April 30, 2024.
In the meantime, Texas' porn age verification law remains active. We'll more likely see more adult sites being forced to implement age checks, as the law comes with a $10,000-a-day fine for violators and a $250,000 fine if a minor is exposed to adult content due to the lack of an age verification check.
Final Thoughts
Texas is the latest US state to try to regulate pornography. As commendable as that can be, the fact is that Texas lawmakers are sticking to privacy-intruding age verification checks. The result of that is the PornHub ban, which remains inaccessible in Texas. However, all you need is a VPN, as changing your virtual location will help you evade age verification checks, letting you watch porn in Texas.
There's no better option than NordVPN, which is the best VPN to get on PornHub in Texas, as it’s a highly secure and private VPN. It allows you to connect to a range of US states where porn is accessible, and you won’t have to worry about others seeing what you do online. Even better, NordVPN has extra-fast performance and can bypass any geo-block in seconds.
That’s all for our guide on how to access PornHub in Texas, alongside other adult sites. If you have any questions, please use the comments section below. Thanks for reading!