The state of Florida has filed a lawsuit against several of the largest pornography platforms on the internet, including XVideos and Bang Bros, alleging that the porn companies have failed to comply with the state’s age verification law.
404Media reports that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) announced this week that the state is taking legal action against the companies behind popular adult websites XVideos, XNXX, Bang Bros, Girls Gone Wild, and the advertising network TrafficFactory. The lawsuit accuses these platforms, some of which are owned by companies based outside the United States, of violating Florida’s HB3 law that requires adult websites to verify users are over 18 years old before granting access to explicit content. The companies are also alleged to be in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
As of January 1, 2025, Florida became one of 20 states that mandate age checks on pornographic websites. Currently, 29 states have either enacted nearly identical legislation or have bills pending. However, age verification bills have failed to pass in eight other states. Proponents argue these laws are necessary to protect children from being exposed to harmful adult material online.
Other porn sites, including PornHub, have taken a different approach to fighting age verification laws — shutting down services in a state instead of having to preventing children from accessing pornographic materials.
Attorney General Uthmeier, a father of young children himself, stated: “Multiple porn companies are flagrantly breaking Florida’s age verification law by exposing children to harmful, explicit content. As a father of young children, and as Attorney General, this is completely unacceptable. We are taking legal action against these online pornographers who are willfully preying on the innocence of children for their financial gain.”
However, critics contend that such age verification laws are invasive, ineffective, and create a chilling effect on constitutionally protected adult speech. The Free Speech Coalition, along with several co-plaintiffs including sex education site O.school, adult retailer Adam & Eve, platform JustFor.Fans, and Florida attorney Barry Chase, had initially filed a legal challenge against Florida’s law in December 2024.
