Several states are ringing in 2025 with shiny, new bans on porn in the name of protecting children online. While accessing porn without an ID is now legally banned for 120 million in the U.S., more than one third of the country, the issue is far from being put to rest.
120 million people. Currently, that’s how many people live in states with porn bans in the U.S., according to an analysis by The Independent. Bans in two new states—Florida and South Carolina—went into effect on Jan. 1. Tennessee’s ban was also set to go into force that day but was blocked in court at the end of December.
Meanwhile, Georgia has also passed its own porn ban, which is set to go into effect in July.
What do the bans consist of? Although the laws are colloquially known as “porn bans,” states haven’t banned porn for all people. What they’ve actually done is pass age verification laws, which require porn sites to verify the age of users accessing their sites. The aim of the laws is to prevent minors from viewing porn.
While the language of the laws in each state varies, in general users must present a valid form of ID, such as a driver’s license or passport, to access the content.
What do the porn sites say? Companies like Aylo, which owns Pornhub, Brazzers, and YouPorn, say it’s in favor of keeping minors off its sites and has put in place several content moderation and safety measures over the years. However, in a statement to Mashable, Aylo points out that these bans aren’t keeping children away from porn.
“These people did not stop looking for porn. They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that don't ask users to verify age, that don't follow the law, that don't take user safety seriously, and that often don't even moderate content,” the company said. “In practice, the laws have just made the internet more dangerous for adults and children.”
The company told Mashable that it’s in favor of age verification but believes the way it’s being implemented in jurisdictions around the world is “ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous.”
What do the experts say? In effect, porn sites are uncomfortable keeping that much personal information on hand about who accesses their sites. They’re also wary over the fines, which can range in the thousands, and potential lawsuits for incompliance.
Tech experts tend to agree and say current laws raises privacy and safety concerns. They also point out that these bans can easily be circumvented using VPNs.
Other groups, like the Free Speech Coalition, say these laws produce a chilling effect and “create a substantial burden on adults who want to access legal sites without fear of surveillance,” according to 404Media.
Porn under Donald Trump. The fight over porn isn’t done yet. President-elect Donald Trump’s second term will likely put porn site regulation in the spotlight once again. Project 2025, a conservative blueprint crafted by the Heritage Foundation for Trump’s second term, calls for porn to be criminalized“Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned,” the blueprint states.
Images | Shane uchi | charlesdeluvio
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