Is Pornhub blocked in Arkansas?
Yes. Pornhub has blocked Arkansas since July 28, 2023. Arkansas law (Act 612) took effect August 1, 2023.
Since August 1, 2023, Arkansas law (Act 612) makes websites where more than a third of the material is harmful to minors liable for damages if they let users in without verifying that they are 18 or older, using a digital ID, government ID or an IAL2-level commercial check, and bars keeping identifying data afterward. The law is enforced through private lawsuits. Pornhub has blocked Arkansas since late July 2023.
The law
| Status | Law in effect |
|---|---|
| Law | Act 612: SB 66 (Act 612) (text) |
| Citation | Ark. Code Ann. §§ 4-88-1101 to 4-88-1105 (Act 612 of 2023) |
| Signed | April 11, 2023 |
| In effect | August 1, 2023 |
| Who it covers | The Protection of Minors from Distribution of Harmful Material Act: commercial entities, including third-party vendors, that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on the internet from a website where more than 33.33 percent of the total material is harmful to minors. News and public-interest content and cloud service providers are exempt; internet service providers and search engines are not liable for merely providing access. |
| Accepted ID methods | digitized identification card, including a digital copy of a driver's license; government-issued identification; commercially reasonable age verification method meeting Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) |
| Data rules | Once access is granted, the site and any third-party vendor may not retain the individual's identifying information (§ 4-88-1105(a)(2)); a site that knowingly retains it is liable to the individual for damages, court costs and attorney fees. |
| Enforcement | Private right of action only: a site that fails to verify ages is liable for damages when a minor accesses the material. The act gives the Attorney General no separate enforcement power or fine. |
| Penalties | Damages resulting from a minor's access, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees; separate damages, costs and fees for knowingly retaining identifying information. No statutory fine. |
Why is Pornhub blocked in Arkansas?
Pornhub disabled access in Arkansas before the law took effect: the Arkansas Times reported the block on July 28, 2023, and Axios on Aug. 9, 2023. In summer 2026 Aylo sent letters urging Arkansas officials to reconsider the law (Axios, Aug. 7, 2026); Arkansas was still on PCMag's list of states where Pornhub is blocked in August 2026.
When did Pornhub block Arkansas?
Pornhub stopped serving Arkansas on July 28, 2023. Arkansas law (Act 612) took effect August 1, 2023.
Is porn banned in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas doesn't ban porn. Arkansas law (Act 612) sets age-verification rules for adult sites, and Pornhub chose to block Arkansas rather than follow them.
What does Act 612 require?
The Protection of Minors from Distribution of Harmful Material Act: commercial entities, including third-party vendors, that knowingly and intentionally publish or distribute material harmful to minors on the internet from a website where more than 33.33 percent of the total material is harmful to minors. News and public-interest content and cloud service providers are exempt; internet service providers and search engines are not liable for merely providing access.
Enforcement: Private right of action only: a site that fails to verify ages is liable for damages when a minor accesses the material. The act gives the Attorney General no separate enforcement power or fine.
Is it illegal to watch porn in Arkansas?
No. Arkansas law (Act 612) puts its duties on websites, not on the people who visit them. Watching legal adult content is not a crime under it.
Separate state and federal laws on obscenity and child sexual abuse material apply everywhere, whatever a state's age-verification rules.
How do I verify my age for adult sites in Arkansas?
Arkansas law (Act 612) accepts these methods: digitized identification card, including a digital copy of a driver's license; government-issued identification; commercially reasonable age verification method meeting Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2). Each site chooses which ones to offer.
Can porn sites keep my ID in Arkansas?
Once access is granted, the site and any third-party vendor may not retain the individual's identifying information (§ 4-88-1105(a)(2)); a site that knowingly retains it is liable to the individual for damages, court costs and attorney fees.
Is it illegal to use a VPN in Arkansas?
Arkansas law (Act 612) sets duties for websites. It does not create a penalty for people who use a VPN.
Why does Pornhub think I'm in Arkansas?
Websites estimate where you are from your IP address, not your street address. Mobile carriers and some internet providers route traffic through regional hubs that can sit across a state line, so a phone in Louisiana can appear to be in Arkansas.
When a site shows another state's notice, the cause is usually where your network's IP address is registered, not the law where you are.
Timeline
Related laws
- SB 396 (Act 689 of 2023, Social Media Safety Act) (effective Sep 1, 2023). Required age verification and parental consent for minors' social media accounts. permanently enjoined (NetChoice v. Griffin, W.D. Ark., 2025-03-31); appeal at 8th Cir.
- SB 611 (Act 900 of 2025) (effective Aug 5, 2025). Rewrote Act 689: covered minors under 16, addictive-design bans, default privacy, overnight notification limits. preliminarily enjoined 2026-04-20
- SB 612 (Act 901 of 2025) (effective Aug 5, 2025). Private right of action against platforms whose design harms minors. preliminarily enjoined 2025-12-15
Sources
- Act 612 of 2023 (SB 66), Arkansas General Assembly (arkleg.state.ar.us) Legislature · Apr 11, 2023
- SB 66 (2023 Regular Session) bill status, Arkansas General Assembly (arkleg.state.ar.us) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Arkansas Attorney General Opinion No. 2023-031, effective date of acts of the 94th General Assembly (copy on ezel.ai) (ezel.ai) Other · May 5, 2023
- New Arkansas laws going into effect on Aug. 1 (KAIT8) (kait8.com) News · Jul 31, 2023
- Pornhub blocks all Arkansas users before state's age-verification law takes effect Aug. 1 (Arkansas Times) (arktimes.com) News · Jul 28, 2023
- Pornhub cuts Arkansas' access in protest of age verification law (Axios) (axios.com) News · Aug 9, 2023
- Pornhub wants to come back to Arkansas screens (Axios) (axios.com) News · Aug 7, 2026
- Sorry, No Pornhub Access in 25 States and 3 Countries (PCMag, via Yahoo News) (yahoo.com) News · Aug 28, 2026
This page is general information, not legal advice. Last verified October 26, 2026 by the Editorial Team. See something wrong or out of date? Report a correction. How we work: methodology.