The Multifaceted Landscape of the Adult Industry Amidst Age - Verification Laws
I. The Digital Diverse Life of Siri Dahl
Over a four - day period in late August, porn star Siri Dahl engages in a plethora of activities. On OnlyFans, she beckons her followers with an invitation to “cum on in”. She goes live on YouTube, promoting her content as “100% raw, organic, grass - fed” with a wink. Through her personal store, she sells “Corn Star” T - shirts. On X, where she has nearly half a million followers, she posts about her appearance in a live podcast taping of Lovett or Leave It. Additionally, she uploads eight videos to Pornhub, alternating between role - play content like “Sexy Mean Starfish Babe Gives You Femdom Ass Worship” and kink - friendly offerings such as “Cozy naked yoga by the fireplace”.
This is a typical week for Dahl: demanding, somewhat scattered, and highly digital, yet firmly under her control. It stands in stark contrast to her beginnings in studio porn. Dahl entered the adult entertainment industry in 2012, with credits in projects by Vivid Entertainment, Naughty America, and Girlfriends Films. At that time, she recalls the industry being a “boys club”. She had no independence and minimal say in her career direction. “It was like five CEOs dictating what was attractive and who could become a porn star,” she states. “Performers were at the bottom. I'd be on set for 12 hours for one paycheck, and there were no royalties in porn. The power dynamic was reversed compared to today.”
Today, Dahl diversifies her content, creating girl - on - girl, solo, fetish, naked workout videos, and group scenes. She is present on “basically every fan platform” including Fansly, LoyalFans, and ManyVids, with OnlyFans being her primary income source. She also uploads free content to Pornhub, earning ad revenue based on views. One of her most popular roles is that of a misbehaving stepmom; her video “MOMMY’S BOY - Naughty MILF Siri Dahl Caught Naked in the Kitchen!” has amassed 29 million views on Pornhub. She values the autonomy the internet has provided for her career.
II. The Threat of Age - Verification Laws
However, this new - found autonomy could be severely curtailed by the widespread adoption of age - verification laws in the US and UK. These laws require visitors to upload an ID or other personal documentation to prove they are not minors before accessing sexually explicit material. Dahl has already witnessed a significant drop in traffic. From her Los Angeles home, she reports making 30 percent less money this year compared to last year (although she declined to disclose the exact amount).
So far, at least 24 US states have implemented some form of ID verification, each with its own unique stipulations. Legislators argue that these laws aim to protect minors from harmful content. Critics, on the other hand, contend that this argument is baseless, as there are “easy solutions” to the moral panic conservatives have stoked. They assert that the laws violate privacy rights and set a dangerous precedent for free speech.
The implications may be even more far - reaching, signaling the potential death of the free web and the emergence of a more puritanical America. This seems to align with the goals of Project 2025. A line in the 900 - page Heritage Foundation document, a right - wing blueprint for Donald Trump's second term, states that “people who produce and distribute [porn] should be imprisoned.” In a leaked video from August last year, Trump ally Russell Vought, a co - author of Project 2025, described age - verification laws as a “back door” to a federal porn ban. “We'd have a national ban on pornography if we could,” said Vought, who was the director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Trump administration. He further explained that as more states pass these laws, porn companies may choose not to operate in those states, which is precisely what they desire. Vought also mentioned his broader goal of creating a “culture that values babies and the life that’s created and is focused on birth rates and makes them a positive good as opposed to a burden.”
III. Industry Reactions and Broader Impacts
Those in the adult industry are not overly surprised by these developments. Porn censorship has been an ongoing battle. Payment processors like Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal have imposed strict controls, and Instagram regularly removes adult creators, even removing Pornhub entirely in 2022. Alex Kekesi, vice president of brand and community at Pornhub, describes it as “death by a thousand paper cuts.” She argues that these laws create an appetite for the government to surveil “perfectly legal but private behavior” online. “On the surface, it may seem beneficial for kids and parents, but in reality, it will cause more harm and danger.” Age - verification is also affecting other industries such as gaming and social media. In August, Bluesky became the first social media platform to block access to users in Mississippi in response to a state law.
Dominic Ford, the founder and CEO of JustFor.Fans, an adult fan subscription platform, believes the war on porn is more about “legislating morality” than protecting kids. “If they were as concerned about kids as they claim, they'd think differently about gun control, which is actually killing children,” he remarks. Insiders note that the biggest misconception about the adult industry is that it is either unable or uninterested in self - regulating to protect kids. Ford explains that most adult sites, including his, participate in voluntary tagging for easy filtering and blocking. In 2022, Pornhub introduced a chatbot to assist those searching for child sexual abuse content, and it has since issued transparency reports and tightened performer verification after a 2020 New York Times investigation.
IV. Shifting Attitudes and the Real Crisis
Generational attitudes towards sex and porn are changing, albeit subtly. Young people are hooking up and masturbating less. A 2025 study by the Survey Center on American Life, supported by the center - right American Enterprise Institute, shows that Gen Z men increasingly favor more porn restrictions. Many young people feel shame and guilt about their porn consumption, yet also consider it an effective learning tool, especially for LGBTQ+ youth exploring their sexual identity.
Pantea Farvid, a professor of applied psychology, argues that a more nuanced conversation is needed, but the current approach is “problematic and repressive.” The real crisis, she contends, lies in America's poor sexual education. Since the mid - 1990s, the federal government has spent $2 billion on abstinence - only education, which increased under Trump. A recent report shows that 25 percent of the 650 state - level bills introduced this year aim to “limit or fully eliminate access to quality sex education,” a 35 percent increase from 2024.
V. Risks for Sex Workers and Performers
While the focus of the porn - related culture war is often on kids, sex workers and performers bear the brunt of increased censorship. For decades, there have been attempts to criminalize the adult industry, most notably with the passage of FOSTA - SESTA in 2017. Legislators claimed it was to combat sex trafficking, but it disproportionately affected sex workers, shutting down income - generating websites with no ties to trafficking.
Natassia Dreams, a Black trans porn star, started in the adult industry in 2004 as it was a “safer occupation than escorting” and gave her more control. She says porn has been a platform for her as a marginalized person. However, age - verification laws could push people like her back into harmful environments.
Data indicates that increased restrictions may drive people to unregulated websites that host free, illegal content. Age - verification laws have had a marginal impact on curbing adult content consumption. They have decreased traffic on Pornhub; daily visits dropped by 47 percent in the first nine days of August after the UK's Online Safety Act took effect. People also use VPNs to bypass these laws, and VPN apps saw “explosive growth” in the UK after the act went into effect. This shift to bad - faith sites can exacerbate issues like revenge porn and deepfakes. At least 23 states have passed deepfake laws as the problem has grown.
VI. The Future of the Porn Industry
Cherie DeVille, a 16 - year veteran performer, is concerned that restrictions will end ethical free content. With the prevalence of free porn consumption on platforms like X and aggregator sites, along with the spread of AI, viewers may have no way of knowing if the performers are consenting.
The porn industry landscape has become more diverse in recent years, with less gatekeeping leading to a flourishing of different sexual representations. However, as more states adopt age - verification laws, indie porn platforms may not be able to compete. In Texas, non - compliant sites can face fines of up to $10,000 a day and additional penalties of up to $250,000. DeVille predicts near - total devastation for the industry, with only large companies remaining.
Siri Dahl, speaking over Zoom, doesn't want creators to be driven underground. She continues to use her platform to advocate. When asked about the future of business in an era of eroding freedoms, she suggests that creators may resort to “exchanging money for a private Dropbox link.” She also believes that these laws will not end porn or adults' desire to watch it.
On September 4, Dahl will host the second annual Corn Telethon, a 12 - hour fundraiser for mutual aid organizations Sex Workers Outreach Project LA and Sex Workers Mutual Aid Las Vegas. Described as a cross between the Jerry Lewis telethon and USA Up All Night, she will co - host with other adult creators to raise awareness about free speech and sex worker rights and to dispel the false narrative around age - verification laws. “We know our job is appreciated,” Dahl says. “I've never had ethical concerns about being a porn performer and running a business in this industry. In fact, I feel good about what I do.”
Manisha Krishnan contributed to the reporting of this story.
