What Are Porn Laws Like In Europe?
What Are Porn Laws Like In Europe?
The legitimacy of pornography has been one of the most widely discussed topics of the 21st Century. While many believe that it should be protected under free speech laws and is just a form of artistic expression, there are also some that believe that porn is detrimental to society for various reasons.
Today, porn is legal in most countries. While there are still a few countries that are holding onto traditional ideals, even those are becoming fewer and fewer. Plus, with the advent of VPNs to mask internet users’ IP addresses, bans aren’t very effective as anybody can sign up for a VPN service and watch porn, even if they’re in a country where it’s banned.
Whether you’re for porn or against porn, this article will examine a history of porn laws in Europe and examine where porn remains illegal to this day. We’ll also show you how to bypass any porn laws so you can consume pornography, even if you live in a region where it’s banned.
Brief History of Porn Laws In Europe
Throughout most of the early to mid-1900s, pornography was strictly limited or prohibited. Back then, of course, there was no internet, which meant that you could only consume pornography by purchasing magazines from stores that regulated the age of consumers or from black market sources.
In 1967, Denmark became the first European country (and the first in the world) to officially legalize all pornography, excluding child pornography (of course). Today, every country in Europe has legalized porn to one extent or another.
There are some countries where pornography has limitations (i.e., no violent porn and obviously no underage porn), but for the most part, it’s legal. Russia has had a strange history with porn and up until recently, it was illegal. Today, however, Russia’s porn laws are somewhat ambiguous. Since many industries in Russia operate off of the books, porn is readily available in Russia, despite the lack of official legalization.
Where Is Porn Illegal Today?
Today, pornography is perfectly legal throughout North and South America (with the exception of the small country of Guyana) and is legal throughout Europe, India, Japan, and the majority of African nations. The countries where porn remains illegal tend to have strong religious and/or traditional background (i.e., the middle east). Many Asian nations have also banned the production and distribution of pornography as well.
Here is a full list of all of the countries where porn is censored or illegal today:
- China
- North Korea
- South Korea
- Russia
- Belarus
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Papua New Guinea
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Vietnam
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
- Afghanistan
- Syria
- Turkey
- Iran
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
- Jordan
- Libya
- Sudan
- Eritrea
- Somalia
- Zimbabwe
- Uganda
- Guyana
As you can see, the main countries where porn is banned are located in the middle east, eastern Africa, and Southeast Asia (including the Asian Pacific).
How To Bypass Porn Laws By Using A VPN
So, let’s just say that you live in a country where porn is illegal, censored, or regulated to the point where you can’t readily access it on the internet. What are you supposed to do to “get your rocks off,” so to speak?
Well, pornography sites are restricted by your device’s IP address. Since your IP address is assigned by your local internet service provider (or your mobile data network), your unique IP address is associated with your physical region. This means that if you try to visit a porn site from your browser, you’ll be met with an error message or the site will load so slowly that you won’t bother pursuing it.
The trick is to mask your IP address by using a VPN (virtual private network) service. This will allow you to connect to an external server that’s located in a country where porn is legal. This will whitelist your IP and you’ll be able to visit any pornography site that’s available in that countyr.
Additionally, your VPN will also encrypt all of your internet data. This means that nobody (not even your ISP or phone network) will be able to see what websites you’re visiting. So, if consuming porn is illegal in your country, then this is the best way to ensure that you don’t get in trouble for illegally consuming porn.
- Download a High-Quality VPN: First, you’ll want to download a VPN service that offers servers in European or American regions where porn is legal. If you’re looking for a secure, fast VPN we usually recommend NordVPN. If you’re trying to access porn from China (where it’s banned by the Great Firewall), then check out this list of the best VPNs that work in China.
- Subscribe For VPN Service: After you’ve downloaded the VPN app, you’ll need to sign up for a subscription with that particular service. Some VPNs may offer a free or low-cost trial period so you can see how you like the product first.
- Connect To A VPN Server: Now that your VPN is set up, you’ll need to connect to a server that’s located in a country where the porn site you’re trying to access is available. For most cases, we recommend connecting to a US-based VPN server, as the United States has the least restrictive porn laws.
- Use Your Browser’s Incognito Mode: Now, your IP address should display that you’re located in an entirely different country than where you actually are. Open your browser in incognito mode to ensure no cookies or cache data get stored on your browser, and nothing can be used against you by your ISP in the future.
- Access Porn Sites Safely: As long as you remain connected to your VPN, then you should be able to safely stream all of the porn you want, even if you live in a country where it’s banned.
In Conclusion
As always, you should remain cautious while streaming or visiting porn sites. The majority of pornography sites on the web are full of viruses and malware that can take control of your device or compromise your personal data. While your VPN can certainly keep you anonymous online, it can’t ensure your complete safety.
