Porn sites remove access to North Carolina users due to age verification law

Multiple porn websites, including PornHub, have cut access to North Carolina due to an age verification law that is set to take place in January. 

The new bill, titled House Bill 8, requires pornography websites to verify that viewers watching the content are over the age of 18 through either a commercially available database or “another commercially reasonable method for age and identity verification."

PornHub responded to the new law on its website with a message from adult performer Cherie DeVille.

“As you may know, your elected officials in North Carolina are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website,” DeVille said in a video, according to the Charlotte Observer. “While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk.”

She then criticized the bill for not having "proper enforcement."

“Until a real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in North Carolina,” she said. 

The law also allows parents of minors who have accessed these pornography sites to sue them. 

Other states have passed similar legislation in Utah, Mississippi and Virginia.

Texas passed a similar age verification law earlier this year, resulting in Pornhub suing the Lone Star state. A federal judge ruled in favor of Pornhub, arguing the law violated the first amendment.