In reaction to a new Utah law that requires age verification to view adult-oriented websites, industry leader Pornhub has blocked anyone with a Utah-based IP address from accessing its site. Yes, we’re as shocked as you are that the #blessed Beehive State has any interest in such content (CableTV.com is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, BTW).
Should a Utahn inadvertently visit Pornhub, they’ll be greeted with a message from adult film star Cherie DeVille: “As you may know, your elected officials in Utah are requiring us to verify your age before allowing you access to our website. While safety and compliance are at the forefront of our mission, giving your ID card every time you want to visit an adult platform is not the most effective solution for protecting our users, and in fact, will put children and your privacy at risk.”
What DeVille didn’t mention, and lawmakers likely didn’t consider, is that Utah residents can easily get around this roadblock by using a VPN (virtual private network). Essentially, a VPN virtually “relocates” you to another state or country by connecting you to an IP elsewhere. VPNs have many other uses besides accessing adult content, Utahns, but we know what you’re looking for.
CTV on VPNs
CableTV.com’s resident internet expert Eric Chiu has crafted a trio of articles all about VPNs—little did he know just how important his research would become in May 2023. Read on, disenfranchised Utah residents.
What Is a VPN?
The nuts and bolts of virtual private networks, from how one works to all the various applications of a VPN, from enhanced personal security to watching European soccer games blacked-out in the US. The best takeaway: You get what you pay for—don’t cheap with a free VPN. A paid subscription is the most secure way to go.
Best VPN Services for 2023
A ranking of the top seven VPNs available in the U.S., including Surfshark, ProtonVPN, and the service you probably know from every other ad on your favorite podcast, NordVPN. Eric outlines the pros and cons of each VPN, drills down into which will best serve your specific needs, and reiterates that free VPNs usually suck (though ProtonVPN does offer a decent no-cost tier).
Best VPNs for Streaming
If you want to stream content from other countries, like the previously-mentioned European soccer and non-US TV shows and movies on country-specific streaming services, Eric’s Best VPNs for Streaming has all the deets and a pair of solid VPN recommendations. The article doesn’t mention the streaming of adult content in Utah or elsewhere, but it applies, nonetheless.
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications (see BillFrost.tv). In addition to being a Senior Staff Writer at CableTV.com, Bill is a syndicated streaming TV columnist forSalt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weeklies, and host/producer of TV Tan Podcast. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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