Pornhub is making bullshit claims regarding the privacy issues of the French gov age verification requirements. There are very real and significant problems with the French gov approach, but Pornhub's approach is significantly worse.

Pornhub wants to put the burden of age verification and enforcement on user devices. They even name the actors that should have to bear that burden: Google, Apple and Microsoft.

First off, this creates an artificial monopoly: three American companies being the judge on who can watch what. Worldwide. I can't wait to have Trump's administration (or whatever jackass the American elect) censoring everything I watch.

Also, Linux users are prayed to go fuck themselves instead of watching porn. Get the real stuff, Linux users (lol).

There is also the issue of the age verification procedure: how do you verify the user's age? Biometrics is the obvious answer on mobile phone, but would there be alternatives? Probably not.

Too bad for people whose face does not match the AI training. Too bad for people not wanting their biometrics verified/leaked to a provider of the operating system vendor choosing.
If you are using a workstation, please get a webcam if you want to jerk off.

But let's say that you passed the age verification procedure: how do you transfer that knowledge to the website?

A HTTP header could be faked so this is not an option.

A remote assessment using a TPM (a chip on your device that monitors that your system wasn't altered) ? => You can no longer install an alternate operating system and watch porn. Once again an artificial monopoly.

DRM would be probably the preferred solution: let anyone download the porn file, but only display it on devices with the appropriate DRM reader if the age verification test is passed. Once again an artificial monopoly. And this puts an end to piracy in the process. Nobody would ever think about abusing this for other content, right Google WEI?

Once again, the French gov tech and requirements are bullshit. I am not here to defend them, but Pornhub statement is just full of shit.

#porn #pornhub #censorship #infosec #france

tl;dr: Porn will get harder to watch in Ohio soon as advanced photo ID type verification will be required starting September 29, 2025 ~Attorney General Dave Yost is already getting a hard-on thinking about enforcing it. Will require "location-based tech provider" to "dynamically monitor" a user attempting to access a website.

Ohioans will need to submit their photo ID to watch pornography beginning this fall, with explicit content giant #PornHub likely to consider pulling out of providing content to the state. #Ohio#Porn#AgeVerification#Privacy

To crack down on kids and teens accessing porn, state Reps. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) and Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) put a provision in the budget, requiring every porn watcher to provide age verification. #USPol

Verification would be done by submitting a photo of your state ID or by entering your personal information into a third-party system that will then run your details through other online or government databases — it could also use facial recognition technology, capturing photos of users. Companies would be penalized if they don't comply.

The law starts on page 655 of House Bill 96. https://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/api/v2/general_assembly_136/legislation/hb96/07_EN/pdf/https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb96
https://www.wcpo.com/news/state/state-ohio/porn-will-get-harder-to-watch-in-ohio-soon