ProtonVPN experienced a staggering 1,000% increase in signups within just 30 minutes as French users attempted to circumvent a new law mandating age verification for adult sites like Pornhub. This law, enacted in May 2024, has drawn criticism from both Proton and Pornhub, who warn it could lead to dangerous reservoirs of personal information and fail to effectively protect children. ProtonVPN, popular for its privacy-focused services, reported a dramatic rise in registrations, emphasizing that while VPNs can help users bypass censorship, using them to access adult content was not their original intent. The blockage of Pornhub has reopened debates about age verification methods, with Proton advocating for device-level checks instead of requiring individual users to submit personal IDs. This surge in VPN use mirrors past trends, such as when major payment processors cut ties with Pornhub over content concerns, thus prompting the platform to adopt cryptocurrency payments. As various countries enact similar age verification measures, the conversation around privacy and access to adult content remains heated.

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