New research suggests that state-level age-verification laws intended to prevent minors from accessing adult content are failing to achieve their goal, instead pushing users toward alternative, unregulated platforms.

The study, conducted by researchers from New York University’s Center for Social Media & Politics and other institutions, analyzed search trends and found that people are circumventing restrictions rather than abstaining from adult content altogether.

Since 2022, 19 U.S. states have passed age-verification laws requiring users to submit identification—ranging from government-issued IDs to facial recognition scans—before accessing websites where explicit content makes up at least one-third of the material. However, new data indicates these measures are largely ineffective due to the ease with which users can bypass them, whether by seeking out non-compliant platforms or using virtual private networks (VPNs).

Researchers analyzed Google Trends data to determine how search behavior changed in states where age-verification laws were enacted. They found that searches for Pornhub—the largest platform that complies with the laws—dropped by 46.6% in these states. In Louisiana, where Pornhub continues to operate due to the availability of a state-supported digital ID system, traffic still plummeted by 80%, according to the site’s parent company, Aylo.

However, this decline did not indicate reduced interest in adult content. Instead, searches for XVideos, a large non-compliant platform, surged by 48.1%, while searches for VPNs—tools that allow users to mask their location—increased by 23.6%.

“This research highlights the unintended consequences of restrictive internet regulations,” said Zeve Sanderson, co-author of the study and executive director of the NYU Center for Social Media & Politics. “Rather than reducing access to explicit content, these laws are shifting users toward riskier and less regulated alternatives.”

Digital privacy and free speech advocates have long warned that age-verification laws are difficult to enforce and pose significant privacy risks. Critics argue that the laws create a false sense of security while failing to address the core issue: children’s access to explicit material.

“These people did not stop looking for porn,” Aylo said in a statement. “They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that don’t ask users to verify age, that don’t follow the law, that don’t take user safety seriously, and that often don’t even moderate content. In practice, the laws have just made the internet more dangerous for adults and children.”

Additionally, there is concern that requiring websites to collect and store sensitive personal data—such as government IDs—could expose users to identity theft and data breaches. In Louisiana, phishing scams have already emerged, with bad actors impersonating adult websites to trick users into uploading personal identification, which is then sold online.

The debate over age-verification laws is part of a larger political battle over internet regulation. The Supreme Court is expected to rule this summer on Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, a case that challenges Texas’s age-verification law. The decision will likely determine the future of such laws across the country.

Meanwhile, conservative policymakers are using age-verification laws as a tool to restrict access to adult content more broadly. Project 2025, a policy framework developed by right-wing think tanks in anticipation of a second Donald Trump presidency, explicitly calls for an outright ban on pornography and the criminalization of its production. One of the initiative’s authors, Russell Vought, was caught on a secret recording admitting that age-verification laws are a “back door” to achieving that goal.

“We’ve got a number of states that are passing this,” Vought said, “and you know what happens is the porn company then says, ‘We’re not going to do business in your state.’ Which of course is entirely what we were after, right?”

As of early 2025, Pornhub is blocked in more than 17 states due to these laws.

Even beyond the political implications, experts argue that age-verification laws introduce a range of logistical and ethical concerns. First, enforcement is nearly impossible when non-compliant platforms operate outside U.S. jurisdiction. Second, VPNs and other anonymizing tools make it easy for users to bypass restrictions.

“There is no foolproof age-verification system that is not intrusive, comprehensive, effective, and can be introduced quickly,” said Jason Kelley, associate director of digital strategy at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Kelley and other digital rights advocates warn that the widespread adoption of these laws could erode online anonymity. If verification systems become the norm, people may soon be required to submit identification for everyday internet browsing—not just for adult sites but potentially for social media and other platforms as well.

“If all these bills went into effect, many people wouldn’t be able to access the internet at all without an ID,” Kelley said. “And those who could access it would have to sacrifice their privacy to do so.”

Additionally, adult content creators fear the laws will further censor and marginalize their industry. Many online sex workers already face restrictions due to laws like FOSTA-SESTA, which were meant to combat trafficking but have instead led to the de-platforming of legal adult content. Age-verification laws could push them further into obscurity.

“It’s just going to censor us,” said adult performer and advocate Alana Evans (@alanaevansxxx). “How is it going to affect a platform like Twitter? If Twitter decides we can’t advertise our cam links anymore, it would kill my business.”

While policymakers push for stricter regulations, experts say a more effective approach is already available: parental controls and open conversations about internet safety.

“I worked my butt off to keep my kids away from that material,” Alana Evans said. “The most important thing is actually being aware of what your kids are doing in the first place.”

Experts recommend device-level filters that block websites marked as “Restricted to Adults” (RTA). These filters can prevent access regardless of whether a child uses a VPN. Conversations about online content and digital literacy can also help teenagers understand the nature of adult material.

“The idea behind these bills is not wrong—no one wants kids watching this content,” Alana Evans said. “But these laws are putting people at risk, and they’re not stopping the problem.”

As lawmakers continue debating the future of internet regulation, one thing is clear: Age-verification laws, in their current form, are not working.

Instead of protecting children, they drive users toward riskier, less regulated platforms while creating significant threats to digital privacy and free speech.

Ultimately, the responsibility of internet safety may not rest with lawmakers at all, but rather with parents, educators, and the technology companies that shape online experiences.