Demand for virtual private networks (VPNs) in France has surged sharply after Aylo Freesites—the parent company of Pornhub, Redtube, and YouPorn—suspended access to its platforms for French users.
Aylo Freesites’ decision was a response to new French government initiatives requiring mandatory age verification on adult websites.
Starting Wednesday, users in France attempting to access these sites were automatically redirected to a protest message opposing the planned changes, which the company claims violate the right to privacy. Within just the first 30 minutes of the suspension, VPN service ProtonVPN reported a 1,000% increase in sign-ups, according to company representatives on platform X (formerly Twitter).
ProtonVPN noted that even during the suspension of TikTok in the U.S., the surge in usage was smaller. A representative of another popular service, NordVPN, told the media that VPN usage had increased by 170% since access to the websites was restricted.
“We see similar spikes every time digital freedoms are restricted or censorship is implemented,” the company said.
Overall, according to analytics resource Top10VPN, demand for VPNs in France on June 4 rose by 334% compared to the average over the previous 28 days.
The French government has set a deadline of June 7 for adult content websites to implement age verification systems.
Aylo states that the proposed mechanisms are ineffective at protecting minors and pose a threat to user privacy. The company emphasizes that it does not oppose the idea of age verification itself, but believes it should be implemented at the device level, not on individual websites.
