Web Searches for ‘VPN’ Surge After Pornhub Access Blocked
Google searches for VPNs skyrocketed in Texas after Pornhub disabled access in the state Thursday, according to multiple reports.
People have begun searching for virtual private networks (VPNs) after Pornhub blocked access to Texas users in compliance with the state’s age-verification law, which requires pornographic sites to include measures to ensure only those 18 and older are using the website, according to Variety. VPNs create an encrypted connection between the internet and a user, allowing the user to hide their location and make it seem like they’re accessing the internet from another state or country, the outlet noted.
Twenty metro areas in Texas were tracked by Google, showing the increase in searches, Variety reported. Of those areas, Dallas – Ft. Worth, Houston, Austin, Waco-Temple-Bryan, and San Antonio had the highest searches for VPNs in the last week.
The search for VPNs increased by over 1,500 percent since the blocking, according to SlashGear. Proton VPN, a popular network, saw a search increase of 4,750 percent, the outlet noted. SlashGear also found an increase in the searches “Texas VPN,” “Pornhub blocked,” and “Pornhub shutdown.” They reported searches of “Is porn banned in Texas” and “How to verify age on Pornhub” increased by over 3,000 percent.
🚨#BREAKING: PornHub has just pulled its services out of Texas due to age verification law pic.twitter.com/Opotcv9v7I
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) March 14, 2024
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