VPN Registrations Increase by 1,000%, less than Hour After PornHub Blocked France From Accessing its Website.
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yea indeed, but they do it pretty much every time on everyone, dunno if that was the same before
France uses a hybrid healthcare system like Australia, doesn't it? Disabling your own populace in a country with public healthcare seems like a bit of a own goal tbh.
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Peak French stupidity, this isn't about protecting kids - it's about building surveillance infrastructure. Back in 2024, critics already called this the foundation for a "Great Firewall of France". Once you have the legal framework to block websites and force ISPs to implement monitoring, mission creep is inevitable.
The technical approach is laughably naive. They're essentially creating a centralized system that could easily become a database of citizen sexual preferences. Even with their "double anonymity," you're still creating digital fingerprints and metadata trails.
Most importantly, it won't work. Kids will just use VPNs - the same way adults are already doing. You're not protecting anyone; you're just pushing everyone toward circumvention tools while normalizing government control over what adults can access online.
It's perfectly French because it combines maximum bureaucratic complexity with zero practical benefit, all while creating new opportunities for state overreach. Classic.
i think it should be a little harder for a child to watch anal prolapse fisting porn than “click yes if you’re of legal age”….
but… not a good excuse for creating a citizen surveillance database. -
i think it should be a little harder for a child to watch anal prolapse fisting porn than “click yes if you’re of legal age”….
but… not a good excuse for creating a citizen surveillance database.Fair point on the current system being theater, but here's the thing - any centralized age verification system creates exactly the surveillance database you're worried about.
The "harder than clicking yes" solutions all have the same fundamental flaw: they require collecting and storing sensitive data that becomes a honeypot for both state actors and bad actors. Upload your ID? Now there's a database linking your identity to your viewing habits. Credit card verification? Same problem, plus you're creating financial trails.
The technical reality is that determined kids will circumvent anything you put in place. We already saw this play out - VPN registrations exploded 1,000% in France within 30 minutes. You're not actually protecting kids; you're just normalizing data collection on adults while teaching every teenager in the country how to use Tor.
Better approach would be device-level parental controls that parents can configure without creating centralized databases. Let Apple, Google, Microsoft handle age verification through their existing account systems where the data stays local. That way you get actual protection without building the infrastructure for a surveillance state.
The French solution gives you the worst of both worlds - ineffective protection AND mass surveillance. Classic government efficiency.
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How about mullvad
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Irrelevant to what I said.
You said porn is evil. Seems pretty relevant to reply saying things aren't all good or evil.
I could explain it slowly
in simpler termswith easy words, if it helps? -
You said porn is evil. Seems pretty relevant to reply saying things aren't all good or evil.
I could explain it slowly
in simpler termswith easy words, if it helps?If you have a position state it directly instead of hiding behind a low effort platitude.
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We retaliate by butchering English when speaking it
wrote last edited by [email protected]Is this international unity?
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If you have a position state it directly instead of hiding behind a low effort platitude.
I did. My position is that there is nuance and not everything can be described as good or evil.
Please learn to read. -
I did. My position is that there is nuance and not everything can be described as good or evil.
Please learn to read.Profound.
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Profound.
Not surprised you found that profound, considering how long you took to comprehend it.
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Not surprised you found that profound, considering how long you took to comprehend it.
Go back to watching porn.
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I'm pretty satisfied as a subscriber. Slowly using proton mail for more and more important accounts. Constant usage of the VPN. Trying to use the calendar more but still haven't broken my Google Calendar habits. Proton Drive I use over google; I just need a Linux desktop application. Proton pass, still haven't given that a go. Comfortable with KeepassXC and managing the backups myself. Proton Docs, it's OK. Solid start. Hoping that notes partnership/acquisition eventually replaces Google Keep for me as a cloud notes application. I have pretty strong confidence now in the company regardless of the slow Linux developments
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wrote last edited by [email protected]
Don't people realize there are hundreds of free porn video sites besides Pornhub? With bigger selection too because the lesser known sites usually don't get half their content DMCAed.
Paying money for a VPN just to access ONE free porn site? Sigh. I really hate web 3.0
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I'm pretty satisfied as a subscriber. Slowly using proton mail for more and more important accounts. Constant usage of the VPN. Trying to use the calendar more but still haven't broken my Google Calendar habits. Proton Drive I use over google; I just need a Linux desktop application. Proton pass, still haven't given that a go. Comfortable with KeepassXC and managing the backups myself. Proton Docs, it's OK. Solid start. Hoping that notes partnership/acquisition eventually replaces Google Keep for me as a cloud notes application. I have pretty strong confidence now in the company regardless of the slow Linux developments
Not sure where I got it form, but I have a Proton VPN client on Linux. It is pretty barebone, but it works.
Personally I just pay the 12,10$ for Bitwarden and use SimpleLogin aliasses together with that.
I just miss Microsoft Office on Linux, but that has nothing to do with Proton.
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How about mullvad
Why not zoidberg?
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Right, because we've never checked ID for things like tobacco and alcohol before?
These porn companies should work on efficient cost effective ways to verify adults instead of using politics and social media to increase profits. I'm sure you are aware profit is higher if children are allowed on their websites.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Yes because I'm not buying whisky online am I'm going to a physical store where I can give them my physical ID and they can look at my physical face. Unless I'm wearing a very convincing prosthetic there isn't very much I can do to hide my identity.
Online is harder, just because I have uploaded an ID doesn't mean it's mine. What are they going to do, demand a video as well, because it's not as if video generation hasn't already gotten to the point where it's perfectly capable of faking that kind of thing.
I can see you haven't thought about this at all. You should run for office.
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Fair point on the current system being theater, but here's the thing - any centralized age verification system creates exactly the surveillance database you're worried about.
The "harder than clicking yes" solutions all have the same fundamental flaw: they require collecting and storing sensitive data that becomes a honeypot for both state actors and bad actors. Upload your ID? Now there's a database linking your identity to your viewing habits. Credit card verification? Same problem, plus you're creating financial trails.
The technical reality is that determined kids will circumvent anything you put in place. We already saw this play out - VPN registrations exploded 1,000% in France within 30 minutes. You're not actually protecting kids; you're just normalizing data collection on adults while teaching every teenager in the country how to use Tor.
Better approach would be device-level parental controls that parents can configure without creating centralized databases. Let Apple, Google, Microsoft handle age verification through their existing account systems where the data stays local. That way you get actual protection without building the infrastructure for a surveillance state.
The French solution gives you the worst of both worlds - ineffective protection AND mass surveillance. Classic government efficiency.
that’s a lack of imagination….
just because i can’t think of a great solution doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
off the top of my head, here’s a system without a centralized surveillance database:- porn site gives you a random token,
- you then hash that with a time-stamp,
- get the token signed by your government ID system (like a dmv),
- return the signed hash.
- the government only knows that you used age verification for something somewhere….
now the hard part is just explaining cryptographic signatures and hashes to people….
of course people could still give a kid a verified account, but at least it’s harder for them to access it, i don’t need perfection…. -
Go back to watching porn.
Go back to church.
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Go back to church.
wrote last edited by [email protected]The fact that you think that's a burn just proves my point. If you watch porn you should seriously stop. It's terrible for your brain chemistry, personal relationships, emotional health, vitality etc It exploits women and severely damages the way men see women. Human sexuality gets hijacked and instead of having a loving relationship people are stuck in private viewing shameful images and pleasuring themselves for years not understanding that they are literally wasting their life and potential. People get addicted to the instant release of porn which harms personal relationships and longer-form activities that take continual effort and nuance and bring a higher order of pleasure and happiness. It's probably good that porn frequently distracts people from having kids because undoubtedly the child would eventually be exposed to it purposefully or not by the parent at some point. So even if I accept your premise -- porn is evil.
