Which authority had ordered the block on these websites?

The State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia, led by Tobias Schmid, had ordered Telekom and Vodafone to block the Aylo sites.

What was the reason given for the attempted block?

The block was ordered due to alleged non-compliance with German age verification regulations, based on provisions of Germany’s Youth Media Protection Interstate Treaty (JMStV).

German Court Halts National Block on Aylo Adult Websites

Q: What is a central legal concern in these proceedings?

A central issue is whether the JMStV provisions, which underpin the blocking orders, conflict with overriding European Union law, with the court stating the blocking orders likely violate EU law.

A German court has temporarily blocked the enforcement of a national ban on Aylo adult websites, including Pornhub and YouPorn, citing EU law concerns.

MÜNSTER, Germany – The Higher Administrative Court for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia has temporarily halted a national block on adult websites owned by Aylo, including Pornhub.com and YouPorn.com. This decision, issued on October 9, 2026, prevents the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia from enforcing its order against a major internet provider.

Court Enjoins Regulator from Enforcing Block

The Higher Administrative Court for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, located in Münster, issued two preliminary injunctions against the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia. The court's press release stated that the State Media Authority is "temporarily barred from ordering a major internet provider to block access to the pornographic websites 'Pornhub' and 'YouPorn' in Germany." This ruling stems from an appeal by the regulator, which had previously been ordered by another court to temporarily halt regulations that would result in a total network ban on access to Pornhub and YouPorn.

The State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia is led by Tobias Schmid, who is described as an online pornography industry critic. The regulator had ordered Telekom and Vodafone to block the Aylo sites due to alleged non-compliance with German age verification regulations. These orders were based on provisions of Germany’s Youth Media Protection Interstate Treaty (JMStV).

Previous Rulings and EU Law Concerns

The Higher Administrative Court's decision follows a ruling by the Düsseldorf Administrative Court on November 19, 2025. The Düsseldorf court had ruled in two preliminary injunction proceedings that an access provider was not required to block 'Pornhub' and 'YouPorn' for internet users in Germany until the conclusion of the main proceedings. The appeals filed by the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia against this decision were unsuccessful at the Higher Administrative Court.

A central issue in these proceedings is whether the JMStV provisions, which underpin the blocking orders, conflict with overriding European Union law. The Higher Administrative Court stated that "The blocking orders likely violate European Union law." The court further noted that while the offerings of the pornographic websites without age verification are not in accordance with the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media, the Cyprus-based platform operator cannot be accused of violating these German regulations. The court concluded that "National regulation is no longer possible" and that "Insofar as the DSA provides a legal basis for blocking orders, the North Rhine-Westphalia State Media Authority lacks jurisdiction over such measures." The court emphasized that the decisions are final.

The Düsseldorf court had also noted that the implementation of age verification laws in Germany, empowered by the Youth Media Protection Interstate Treaty of Germany, contradicts European Union laws on age verification outlined in the Digital Services Act (DSA). The State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia promulgated these rules through the interstate treaty, leading to a framework of competing court rulings across the country. The European Union's regulation of adult platforms like Pornhub, which is technically a "very-large online platform" or "VLOP" under the DSA, is already at its highest level of scrutiny.

Conflicting Decisions and Ongoing Legal Disputes

Earlier in 2025, other German courts had issued rulings concerning the blocking of Aylo sites. In May 2025, the Berlin Administrative Court ruled that a network ban on Pornhub and YouPorn was justified, stating that state media regulators had the ability to enforce media regulations across all of Germany. This ruling confirmed a block on the sites. The Berlin Administrative Court supported actions taken by North Rhine-Westphalia regulators, who argued that the company failed to restrict access to minors. Similar rulings in Düsseldorf in the previous year reinforced Germany's stance on online age checks.

Aylo remains in a legal dispute over its classification as a "very-large online platform" under the Digital Services Act, which has led to heightened digital safety scrutiny.

Key Facts

The Higher Administrative Court for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia temporarily halted a national block on Aylo-owned adult websites.
The ruling, issued on October 9, 2026, prevents the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia from enforcing its blocking orders.
The court cited potential violations of European Union law as a reason for its decision.
The State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia, led by Tobias Schmid, had ordered blocks due to non-compliance with German age verification regulations under the Youth Media Protection Interstate Treaty.
The Düsseldorf Administrative Court had previously ruled in November 2025 to temporarily block the regulations compelling German internet service providers to block access to Aylo sites.
The Berlin Administrative Court had ruled in May 2025 that a network ban on Pornhub and YouPorn was justified.