German Media Regulator Moves Forward With Block of Pornhub, Other Tube Sites

German Media Regulator Moves Forward With Block of Pornhub, Other Tube Sites

BERLIN — Germany's federal media regulator has initiated steps to order a block of Pornhub, YouPorn and MyDirtyHobby, escalating the country’s war against online adult content over age verification, a campaign which has been largely spearheaded by a single local bureaucrat.

Germany’s media regulator has contacted leading telecom providers Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica and 1&1 to initiate the blocking process, NetsPolitik.org journalist Sebastian Meineck reported Thursday.

A process of hearings has now begun with the final aim of blocking access to those sites for all Germans regardless of age. During these hearings, the internet providers will be allowed to formally comment on the mandated block.

The media regulation authorities are claiming they are merely “enforcing German laws on the protection of minors,” Meineck wrote.

According to the German government, “website visitors are supposed to present their ID or have their face biometrically scanned before they are allowed to watch porn,” Meineck continued. “Major porn sites like Pornhub refuse to subject their users to such invasive controls. After years of legal proceedings against Pornhub, the media regulator is now approaching the strongest means at its disposal: ordering a network ban.”

A Relentless Campaign by an Obsessive Anti-Porn Bureaucrat

Last year, the media regulator ordered a network block for xHamster, which subsequently lost its status as the No. 1 most visited adult site in Germany. Although xHamster relocated its content to a mirror site after the block, Pornhub quickly overtook it as the most popular adult site in the country.

As XBIZ reported, federal authorities have taken up censorship efforts after a relentless campaign by the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia, which has targeted specific adult sites as part of a crusade to require age verification for viewing sexual content in Germany. The drive has been spearheaded by agency director Tobias Schmid, a one-man War on Porn described as having “a fetish for order,” whose efforts led to a court issuing a “network ban” and blocking access to xHamster last year.

Leading daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine noted at the time that “the network ban is the harshest sanction provided by the German Telemedia Act” and that it is “unpopular and is quickly classified as ‘censorship.’”

“Of course, blocking the network is a dramatic intervention,” Schmid told the paper. “With this offer, however, the right to freedom of expression should not be affected too much. It is simply a business with pornography, and done at the expense of children and young people.”

Main Image: Leading German anti-porn crusader Tobias Schmid.

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

Nerdgasm: A Look at the Naughty Side of Pop Culture Geekdom

From “Call of Duty” to cosplay, from tabletop dice rolls to dungeon-inspired dirty talk, the worlds of geek fandom and fantasy are no longer confined to the basement. They’ve kicked down the door, shed the “Firefly” tee and gone full frontal.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Moves to Outlaw Internet Pornography

A parliamentary committee of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday approved a measure to outlaw online adult content in the country.

Sweden Bans Purchase of 'Remote' Sexual Services

The Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament, has approved a proposal to criminalize purchasing sexual services performed remotely by streamers and custom content creators.

Asa Akira to Deliver XBIZ Talk at Miami Conference

XBIZ is pleased to announce that decorated performer, Pornhub brand ambassador, and author Asa Akira is set to deliver an exclusive talk at XBIZ Miami.

JustFor.fans Launches 'Fentanyl Test Strip' Initiative

JustFor.fans (JFF) has launched a test strip initiative to combat the nationwide fentanyl crisis.

2025 XBIZ Miami Speaker Lineup Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the release of the full speaker lineup for XBIZ Miami, the latest edition of the adult industry’s premier summer conference, set to take place May 19-22 at the Nautilus Sonesta Miami Beach hotel in South Beach.

AV Bulletin: Arizona's About-Face, What New Laws Mean for Adult

Industry stakeholders and free speech advocates have anxiously been awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which could significantly impact state age verification laws around the United States. In the meantime, state legislatures continue to weigh and pass AV bills, the U.K. and the EU are moving ahead with their own AV mandates and strategies, and legal challenges continue to play out in U.S. courts — with some cases on hold pending the SCOTUS ruling in Paxton.

Million Billion Media Launches New Website

Management and PR agency Million Billion Media (MBM) has launched a new website.

'Neon Nightswim' Party Returns to XBIZ Miami

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the annual Neon Nightswim Pool Party will once again illuminate XBIZ Miami on Tuesday, May 20.

FSC Addresses UK Age Verification Guidelines

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published an article offering guidance on the U.K.'s Online Safety Act and the various guidelines put forward by the country's telecommunications regulator Ofcom.The article follows:

Show More