French Government Asks Courts for Order to Block Pornhub, 4 Other Tube Sites

French Government Asks Courts for Order to Block Pornhub, 4 Other Tube Sites

PARIS — France’s media regulator ARCOM has gone to court to demand that the country’s ISPs enforce a total block of five specific adult tube sites — Pornhub, Tukif, xHamster, Xvideos and Xnxx — over their alleged lack of enforcement of a controversial age verification mandate.

The ARCOM decision to block the tube sites comes only days after the German government ordered that country’s ISPs to block xHamster.

Reliable sources in France had reported that the ARCOM — a brand-new agency that very recently superseded former regulatory agency CSA, an analog of the American FCC — drafted the porn block more than a week ago, and only delayed when forced to switch priorities to targeting Russian propaganda sources following the invasion of Ukraine.

ARCOM’s decision was first reported this morning by Agence France-Presse via Twitter.

“In other words, adult sites — which are not illegal in and of themselves — must find another method other than [a “Press here” button stating] ‘I swear I’m 18 [or over],” tweeted Marc Rees of French tech news site Next Inpact, which for months has been tracking ongoing threats by the Macron government to censor many of the most popular adult tube sites.

“But which solution?” Rees added, pointing out that the June 2020 amendment to a domestic violence law, which triggered this enforcement action, did not offer anything beyond a rhetorical “pirouette” to dance around the complex issue of mandatory age verification.

This is a developing news item and XBIZ will continue updating this report.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Hentaied Founder Romero 'Mr. Alien' on Fetish, Fantasy and Finding Order in Chaos

A sharp sting pierces the woman’s skin. Something foreign slips beneath the surface. Eggs, maybe. She doesn’t know it yet, but soon her body will become a vessel, a hive, a source of contamination.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for July, August

AEBN has published the top search terms for the months of July and August from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Guardian Devotes Feature Article to XBIZ Amsterdam

British newspaper The Guardian sent a reporter to cover XBIZ Amsterdam earlier this month, resulting in a lengthy article about the annual European adult industry conference.

Pineapple Support Taps Char Borley as Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has named Char Borley as its newest brand ambassador.

Michigan Legislators Propose Online Porn Ban

Michigan lawmakers have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to distribute pornography via the internet in the state.

Florida AG Sues Aylo, Segpay Over State AV Law

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed lawsuits against Aylo and Segpay on Monday with the 12th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for noncompliance with HB3, the state's age verification law.

Colombian Court Sides with Performer Esperanza Goméz Over IG Suspensions

Colombia’s Constitutional Court last week ruled in favor of adult performer Esperanza Gómez in her legal battle against Meta over repeated suspensions of her Instagram account.

Missouri AG Announces Age Verification Rule to Take Effect Nov. 30

Newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced Friday that the state's recently approved age verification regulation for adult websites will go into effect on Nov. 30.

Aylo, Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Tackle Online Censorship in Virtual Seminar

Aylo and Woodhull Freedom Foundation will co-host a virtual panel addressing online censorship on Sept. 30.

Severe Sex Films Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Severe Sex Films has relaunched its official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Show More