Beginning on August 1 of this year, residents in North Dakota will lose access to the adult site Pornhub. Earlier this year the North Dakota State legislature passed SB 2380, which requires “manufacturers of internet-enabled devices and operating systems to determine the age of the device’s primary user and provide a digital signal to inform websites whether that user is a minor”—and porn sites fall under this category.
The law will take effect on August 1, 2025, and Pornhub’s parent company Aylo will begin restricting access to its adult sites for residents in North Dakota in protest. Aylo and other privacy advocates claim that these laws not only violate free speech, but will infringe on personal privacy protections. By forcing individuals to hand over personally identifiable information to third parties, it creates the potential for government overreach and data misuse.
This is following a trend that has seen more than 22 other states lose access to the incredibly popular NSFW site. Similar bans occurred throughout last year for residents in Texas and Florida, among others. Just this year, Wyoming, Georgia, and South Dakota also lost access in July, with Arizona set to follow in September.
For legal-age North Dakotans looking to access the site, this is disruptive to say the least. Fortunately, there’s an easy workaround: using a VPN. Simply download and install your preferred VPN, connect to a server in a state that isn’t blocked, and enjoy the content.
Below are my top picks for VPNs to access Pornhub (or other Aylo-owned adult content) if you’re in Georgia where access is blocked. And for even more great options, check out my list of the best VPNs overall.
NordVPN – Best overall
NordVPN is my overall top pick for VPNs. It comes with a wealth of great features including wide device support, ad- and tracker-blocking, plus an abundance of domestic U.S. and international servers—with coverage in most states.
It also boasts the fastest connection speeds, meaning you won’t need to stream in a resolution that makes it look like the important bits are blurred on purpose. NordVPN has one of the widest platform support networks as well, so you’ll be able to freely view content on all of your devices.
ExpressVPN – Runner-up
ExpressVPN is a close second to NordVPN, only losing out due to slightly slower speeds and a few less extra features. These are minor issues, though, and shouldn’t take away from how great of a service ExpressVPN is in its own right. In fact, just recently as a result of all of these age-verification laws, ExpressVPN completed a massive U.S. network expansion to include servers in every U.S. state so you can rest assured you’ll find access so long as there are places without these restrictions.
It also consistently has great speeds, so you can stream in HD to your heart’s content. Plus, it works with practically every device and comes with one of the best user-privacy records around.
Mullvad – Best for privacy
Depending on what you’re looking for from a VPN, Mullvad might actually be the best option. The service not only tested among the top five fastest VPNs, but it’s also the hands-down best for privacy.
Mullvad takes every effort to know as little about you as possible. The service doesn’t ask for an email address or name and you can even mail in a cash payment if you prefer to keep your credit card off record. Plus, it costs a mere $5 per month regardless of the plan you choose.
Proton VPN – Best free VPN
While I don’t usually recommend that anyone use a free VPN due to their proven security and privacy risks, Proton VPN is one of the exceptions. This service from the well-known Swiss-based Proton brand has a spotless track record for user privacy. And it’s also mercifully ad-free.
Just like all free VPNs, there are limitations, but thankfully Proton VPN keeps them relatively manageable. For no cost whatsoever you’ll get a one-device connection limit and access to five servers located in different countries around the world (including the U.S.). There are no speed or data limitations on these free servers either—something that’s not typical of other free VPNs. Just note that you’ll only be connected to the server location closest to you and some of these might be in States with age verification laws in place. Still, you have nothing to lose by using the free service and if you like it enough you can always upgrade to the paid version with access to all 11,000+ server locations and excellent feature set.
