Age verification laws designed to block children from online porn sites are sweeping the US, Io Dodds writes. But do they actually protect children, or is there another agenda at work?

Summary

Several U.S. states have enacted laws requiring pornography sites, such as PornHub, to implement age verification to prevent minors’ access, prompting the site’s parent company, Aylo, to block access in affected states.

Proponents argue these laws protect children, while critics highlight privacy risks, inefficiencies, and potential censorship.

These measures reflect growing social conservatism, with some advocates aiming to restrict adult content broadly.

While privacy-focused age verification methods exist, regulatory clarity is lacking.

Critics warn these laws may suppress responsible platforms, favoring unregulated alternatives, and escalate broader culture wars around sexuality and LGBTQ+ rights.

  • nutsack@lemmy.world
    30·
    17 hours ago

    they keep saying its about trans people but then they keep blocking porn so i don’t know what it is. i think christians and conservatives are stupid as fuck

    • nickiwest@lemmy.world
      5·
      8 hours ago

      Every time that a conservative equates the mere existence of trans people with sex, they’re just outing their own kink.

    • insufferableninjaEnglish
      191·
      17 hours ago

      it’s mostly because the red hats love trans porn, and hate themselves for loving trans porn, and they just need a little help resisting temptation