Is Pornhub blocked in Kansas?
Yes. Pornhub has blocked Kansas since June 27, 2024. Kansas law (SB 394) took effect July 1, 2024.
Since July 1, 2024, Kansas has required commercial websites where harmful-to-minors material appears on a quarter or more of the pages viewed to verify that visitors are 18 or older. The Attorney General and parents can both sue, with private statutory damages of at least $50,000; federal courts have dismissed private suits against out-of-state sites for lack of personal jurisdiction without ruling on the law. Pornhub has blocked Kansas since mid-2024.
The law
| Status | Law in effect |
|---|---|
| Law | SB 394 (text) |
| Citation | K.S.A. 50-6,146 (L. 2024, ch. 28) |
| In effect | July 1, 2024 |
| Who it covers | Commercial entities that knowingly share or distribute material harmful to minors on a website where such material appears on 25% or more of the webpages viewed in any calendar month, or that knowingly host such a website. Applies to visitors who are Kansas residents or located in Kansas. Internet service providers and users of interactive computer services are excluded. |
| Accepted ID methods | commercially available database regularly used for age and identity verification; other commercially reasonable method approved by the Attorney General or certified to documented international standards the Attorney General specifies |
| Data rules | The commercial entity or third party performing verification may not retain any identifying information after access is granted; knowing retention makes it liable to the individual for damages, attorney fees and costs. |
| Enforcement | Both: the Attorney General (investigation, injunctions and civil penalties; a violation is an unconscionable act under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act) and private suits by the parent or guardian of a minor who accessed a site without age verification. |
| Penalties | AG civil penalty of $500 to $10,000 per violation, with each access a separate violation; private actions for actual damages, statutory damages of at least $50,000, and attorney fees and costs. |
Why is Pornhub blocked in Kansas?
Aylo announced in June 2024 that it would block Kansas, along with Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky and Nebraska, rather than verify ages; Kansas public radio reported the block in place when the law took effect on July 1, 2024. KCUR described Kansas as still blacked out in December 2025, and PCMag listed it as blocked in June 2026. The exact first day is not confirmed.
When did Pornhub block Kansas?
Pornhub stopped serving Kansas on June 27, 2024. Kansas law (SB 394) took effect July 1, 2024.
Is porn banned in Kansas?
No. Kansas doesn't ban porn. Kansas law (SB 394) sets age-verification rules for adult sites, and Pornhub chose to block Kansas rather than follow them.
What does SB 394 require?
Commercial entities that knowingly share or distribute material harmful to minors on a website where such material appears on 25% or more of the webpages viewed in any calendar month, or that knowingly host such a website. Applies to visitors who are Kansas residents or located in Kansas. Internet service providers and users of interactive computer services are excluded.
Enforcement: Both: the Attorney General (investigation, injunctions and civil penalties; a violation is an unconscionable act under the Kansas Consumer Protection Act) and private suits by the parent or guardian of a minor who accessed a site without age verification.
Is it illegal to watch porn in Kansas?
No. Kansas law (SB 394) 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 Kansas?
Kansas law (SB 394) accepts these methods: commercially available database regularly used for age and identity verification; other commercially reasonable method approved by the Attorney General or certified to documented international standards the Attorney General specifies. Each site chooses which ones to offer.
Can porn sites keep my ID in Kansas?
The commercial entity or third party performing verification may not retain any identifying information after access is granted; knowing retention makes it liable to the individual for damages, attorney fees and costs.
Is it illegal to use a VPN in Kansas?
Kansas law (SB 394) sets duties for websites. It does not create a penalty for people who use a VPN.
Why does Pornhub think I'm in Kansas?
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 Colorado can appear to be in Kansas.
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
- Gov. Laura Kelly says she will let SB 394 become law without her signature. [6]
- Pornhub blocks Kansas, a spokesperson confirms, ahead of the law taking effect on July 1. [13]
- SB 394 takes effect on its publication in the statute book. [7]
- Attorney General Kris Kobach files the first state enforcement suit under the law, against SARJ LLC, in Shawnee County District Court. [9]
- A federal judge dismisses two private suits under the law (against ICF Technology and Titan Websites) for lack of personal jurisdiction, without ruling on the law itself. [4]
- The last of the four private federal suits (against Pump Lab, SL) is dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction. [5]
Courts and enforcement
- Q.R. ex rel. Doe v. ICF Technology, Inc., No. 6:25-cv-01093-HLT-BGS (U.S. District Court, D. Kan. (Judge Holly L. Teeter), Feb 10, 2026). One of four parallel private suits filed in 2025 on behalf of a minor under K.S.A. 50-6,146. Dismissed without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction over the site operators; the ruling did not address the law's validity. A companion suit against Titan Websites was dismissed the same day on the same ground. Source
- Q.R. ex rel. Doe v. Pump Lab, SL, No. 6:25-cv-01095-HLT-BGS (U.S. District Court, D. Kan. (Judge Holly L. Teeter), Jun 22, 2026). Last of the four parallel suits (the court had compelled arbitration in the third, which the plaintiff then voluntarily dismissed). Dismissed without prejudice for lack of personal jurisdiction over the Spain-based operator; jurisdictional discovery denied. The law's validity was not reached. Source
- Kansas ex rel. Kobach v. SARJ LLC (Kansas Attorney General, in Shawnee County District Court, Jan 14, 2025). Filed January 2025, the first state enforcement suit under the law, against a Seattle-based operator of 13 adult websites alleged to use no age verification. The company's motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction was denied; the case was still pending as of March 2026. Source
Bills to watch
- SB 372 (App Store Accountability Act). App stores to verify users' age categories, link minors' accounts to parents and obtain parental consent for downloads and purchases. Died: passed the Senate and was reported favorably by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee on 2026-03-18, but never reached a final vote.
Sources
- SB 394 (2023-2024) bill status, Kansas Legislature (kslegislature.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- 2024 Session Laws of Kansas, Chapter 28 (SB 394), Kansas Secretary of State (kssos.org) Statute · 2024
- SB 372 (2025-2026) App Store Accountability Act, bill status, Kansas Legislature (kslegislature.gov) Legislature · accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Q.R. v. ICF Technology, Inc., No. 6:25-cv-01093, Memorandum & Order (D. Kan. Feb. 10, 2026), via CourtListener (storage.courtlistener.com) Court · Feb 10, 2026
- Q.R. v. Pump Lab, SL, No. 6:25-cv-01095, Memorandum & Order (D. Kan. June 22, 2026) (ecf.ksd.uscourts.gov) Court · Jun 22, 2026
- KS bill mandates age verification for potentially harmful websites (KOAM) (koamnewsnow.com) News · Apr 12, 2024
- Kansas porn age verification law takes effect; Pornhub blocks access (KCUR / Kansas News Service) (kcur.org) News · Jul 1, 2024
- Pornhub is blocking users from viewing its content in 5 more states due to age verification laws (Scripps News) (scrippsnews.com) News · Jun 2024
- Kris Kobach files lawsuit against adult website operator (WIBW) (wibw.com) News · Jan 14, 2025
- Pornhub blocked in Missouri over age verification (KCUR), noting Kansas was blacked out the year before (kcur.org) News · Dec 2, 2025
- Dismissal of age verification lawsuits against porn sites raises questions about Kansas law's future (Kansas Reflector, via News From The States) (newsfromthestates.com) News · Mar 25, 2026
- Sorry, No Pornhub Access in 24 States and 3 Countries (PCMag, via Yahoo Tech) (tech.yahoo.com) News · Jun 12, 2026
- KSNT 27 News: Pornhub brings website into compliance with restrictive new Kansas law (ksnt.com) News · Jun 28, 2024
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.