US Supreme Court Upholds Texas Porn ID Law
8 months ago
- #Online Privacy
- #Supreme Court
- #Age Verification
- Pornhub restricts access in 17 US states due to new age verification laws.
- The US Supreme Court upheld Texas's age verification law (TX HB1181), requiring pornographic sites to verify visitors are over 18 or face fines.
- Justice Clarence Thomas argued the law doesn't regulate adults' speech, while Justice Elena Kagan dissented, citing First Amendment protections.
- Texas AG Ken Paxton defended the law, which was initially struck down but later upheld by the Fifth Circuit.
- Over half of US states have proposed or passed similar age verification laws.
- Age verification methods include government ID checks, banking details, and facial recognition, often handled by third-party companies.
- Privacy experts warn of risks like data breaches and misuse of personal information.
- Australia's trial found age checks ineffective, and VPNs can bypass them.
- Global adoption of age verification is growing, with platforms like Instagram and Discord testing facial age estimation.
- The Supreme Court ruling may embolden broader censorship, including LGBTQ+ and reproductive health content.
- Proposals like Project 2025 and the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act could further restrict or ban pornography.