Tennessee’s new law requires age verification for porn sites as legal challenges rise, with implications for similar laws in Texas and beyond
Nashville: So, Tennessee is moving forward with a new law that makes porn sites verify users’ ages. This comes just as a similar law in Texas is heading to the Supreme Court for a big debate.
A panel of judges recently decided that Tennessee can start enforcing this law, even while a lawsuit is still in the works. A lower court had tried to block it, saying it could infringe on free speech and wouldn’t really stop kids from accessing adult content.
The Free Speech Coalition, which represents adult entertainment businesses, is challenging this law along with others in several states. They argue that these laws are ineffective and could violate rights.
The judges pointed out that the law aims to protect kids from easily accessing porn. They mentioned that other courts have also overturned blocks on similar laws in places like Texas and Indiana.
Interestingly, after the ruling, Pornhub started blocking access in Tennessee. They’ve already done this in 16 other states, claiming the age verification rules are poorly enforced and not safe.
This Tennessee law would require porn sites to check that users are at least 18. If they don’t comply, they could face serious penalties. The sites can verify age by matching IDs or using certain data, but they can’t keep any personal info.
Age checks kick in if a site has a significant amount of content deemed harmful to minors. Critics say this law won’t really stop kids from getting around it using VPNs or other means.
The judge who initially blocked the law pointed out that it could affect other online platforms, like those focused on sexual education, since the definition of harmful content is pretty broad.
Tennessee’s Attorney General is happy with the ruling, saying it’s all about keeping adult content away from kids. Similar laws have already started in Florida and South Carolina, with Georgia set to follow soon.
