Age Verification Laws: The Next Internet Porn Revolution

The digital landscape for adult content creators faces a seismic shift as age verification laws gain traction across the United States and the United Kingdom. These regulations mandate that users provide official identification before accessing explicit material, fundamentally altering how performers connect with their audience and earn a living.

For established adult entertainer Siri Dahl, the impact has been immediate and severe. Known for her prolific output across platforms like OnlyFans, Pornhub, and Fansly, Dahl has built a diverse career entirely on her own terms, a stark contrast to her early days in studio-produced adult films. Where she once answered to executives and worked long hours for a single paycheck, she now enjoys creative control and multiple revenue streams. Her content ranges from solo performances to niche fetish material, with one stepmother-themed role-play video accumulating over 29 million views.

Yet this hard-won independence is now under threat. Dahl reports a 30 percent drop in income this year alone, attributing the decline directly to new verification requirements that deter viewers. “The traffic loss has been absolutely massive,” she confirms, though she chooses not to disclose specific earnings. At least two dozen states have enacted some version of these laws, each with distinct rules and enforcement mechanisms.

Proponents argue that age-gating protects minors from inappropriate content, but critics see a more troubling agenda. Privacy advocates warn that requiring ID uploads sets a dangerous precedent for online freedom and personal data security. Some opponents go further, suggesting that the movement is less about child protection and more about imposing moral restrictions on adult content consumption.

These concerns appear validated by statements from conservative figures linked to Project 2025, a policy proposal associated with Donald Trump’s potential second term. In leaked recordings, co-author Russell Vought described age verification as a “back door” toward a national pornography ban, openly stating, “We’d have a national ban on pornography if we could.” He emphasized that driving platforms out of compliant states is precisely the intended outcome.

For performers like Dahl, the implications extend beyond revenue. The push toward verification threatens the very ecosystem that enabled her autonomy, potentially returning power to traditional studios and undermining the economic stability of independent creators. As legislative efforts continue to expand, the future of adult entertainment online hangs in the balance, caught between protectionist rhetoric and what some fear is a broader cultural campaign against sexual expression.

(Source: Wired)