Italy introduces age-verification checks for porn sites: Privacy impact and VPN
Italy has become yet another country to pass a law requiring adult-content websites to verify the ages of their users. Under the new rules, websites that host pornographic content must make sure that visitors are at least 18 years old.
The measure was formalized in a decree published on May 12, 2025, and will take full effect on November 12, 2025. This six-month transition period should have given platforms time to adapt to the new requirements set by AGCOM — short for Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni, Italy’s independent communications authority. AGCOM oversees the enforcement of media, telecom, and online-content regulations in Italy, and will be responsible for ensuring that age-verification rules are correctly applied.
How the system works: the “double-blind” process
According to AGCOM’s Resolution 96/25/CONS, the new law introduces a privacy-conscious two-step verification process, often referred to as a double-blind system. The goal is to confirm that users are adults without directly revealing their identity to the websites they’re visiting.
Here’s how it should work in practice:
- Step 1 — Verification by a certified third party: an independent company verifies the user’s age. This verifier can see the person’s identifying information but does not know which site the user intends to visit.
- Step 2 — Anonymous confirmation: the adult website only receives a simple “yes” or “no” signal confirming the user is of age, without receiving any personal data.
This way identification and authentication happen in separate systems, so neither the site nor the verifier should have access to the full set of user data. In some cases, this verification might be done through special proof-of-age apps installed on a user’s device (like Italy's digital identity wallet known as the IT-Wallet), the regulator notes. These apps can generate a secure “age token” that acts as a certificate, confirming that the user is over 18 without revealing their identity.
Why Italy is doing this
The Italian government says the goal is straightforward: to protect minors from exposure to adult content, which it considers harmful to their dignity, emotional development, and mental health. AGCOM describes access to pornography by minors as a public-health concern, citing potential negative effects on young users’ well-being.
Under the accompanying Caivano Decree, all entities that distribute pornographic images or videos in Italy, regardless of where they are based, must implement effective age checks. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to €250,000 (around $287,000) and, ultimately, the blocking of non-compliant websites in Italy.
So far, AGCOM has published a list of 50 websites and platforms that are subject to these age verification rules. Some of the most popular include Pornhub, RedTube, YouPorn, XNXX, XHamster, and OnlyFans. This list is not fixed and can be expanded in the future as the regulator continues to monitor activity and compliance across the country. You can view the official list here.
Not the first country to go this route
Italy is following a growing international trend. France, several U.S. states, and most recently the United Kingdom have all rolled out similar age-verification rules.
In the UK, the Online Safety Act prompted major platforms — including Pornhub, Reddit, Discord, and X (formerly Twitter) — to introduce various forms of age verification, from ID uploads to facial-recognition checks. This led to a surge in privacy concerns and a 60% jump in VPN interest among UK users within days of the law taking effect.
This pattern suggests that while governments are tightening online safety regulations, users are increasingly turning to privacy tools to maintain control over their personal data.
Risks and privacy concerns
Even with Italy’s double-blind design, no digital system is completely immune to data leaks. The recent Discord hack in October 2025, which exposed images of users’ IDs collected for UK age checks, is a sobering reminder that sensitive data can still be compromised, even when handled by reputable third-party providers.
Although platforms claim to delete verification data immediately after use, the risk of cross-referencing and indirect identification remains. Each new database, verifier, or app added to the chain creates a new potential point of failure.
What you can do — and how VPNs help
For many users, the simplest way to protect online privacy while navigating these new laws is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
A VPN encrypts your internet connection, making it much harder for third parties, including ISPs, governments, or hackers, to monitor your browsing or trace your activity. It also helps prevent data exposure when using public Wi-Fi, where unencrypted connections can lead to phishing attempts or even financial losses. In the context of age verification laws like those in Italy, connecting through a VPN server in a country where such checks are not in place can allow users to maintain their privacy while accessing content online.
At AdGuard VPN, we believe privacy and safety shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. While we support efforts to protect children online, we also emphasize the importance of protecting adults’ privacy. A VPN gives users a way to maintain control over their data and decide for themselves what information they share and with whom.
