Recent developments in the United States have seen a significant increase in the number of states enacting age-verification laws for pornography websites. While Texas has been in the spotlight for its legislation, it is important to note that it is not alone in this endeavor.
Over the past two and a half years, a total of 19 states, collectively representing more than a third of the American population, have passed laws mandating that pornographic websites verify users' ages through various methods such as checking government-issued IDs or utilizing facial recognition technology.
These new laws have been championed by supporters of President-elect Donald Trump and have prompted some of the largest adult websites, including Pornhub, to restrict access to users from specific states rather than investing substantial sums in implementing ID-checking services.
The surge in legislative action surrounding age verification for online pornography can be attributed to groups associated with Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda crafted in anticipation of a potential second term for President Trump.
Project 2025's extensive policy document, spanning over 900 pages, advocates for the outlawing of pornography, proposes imprisonment for those involved in its production and distribution, and calls for the closure of companies that facilitate its dissemination.
These developments underscore a broader societal debate regarding the regulation of adult content online and the balance between freedom of expression and protecting minors from exposure to explicit material.
