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.

  • SaltySalamander
    8•1 month ago

    When I buy alcohol I have to provide verification that I’m over 21

    I was unaware that porn could kill you.

    • @TheDemonBuer
      2•1 month ago

      I never said that it could.

      Are you suggesting that it should be legal to sell alcohol to children so long as it’s not a lethal amount? Should a kid be able to buy a single beer? It’s not like it’s going to kill them.

      What about selling physical media pornography in a store to children? Should that be legal? It’s not going to kill them. Should a kid be able to walk into a porn store and slap down his allowance for a copy of Hardcore Anal Superstars 2?

      • @Tikiporch
        6•1 month ago

        This is a terrible analogy. Liquor purchases aren’t tracked by your ID. It’s not even mandatory to scan your ID to purchase alcohol.

    • @lath
      0•1 month ago

      Not your fault. Nobody can be aware of everything.

      And yes, people have fapped to porn until they had a heart attack and died due to it.

          • SaltySalamander
            1•1 month ago

            In other words, could have happened whether he was masturbating or having sex. Wasn’t the masturbation that caused it, was the orgasm. I guess we’re just not supposed to orgasm now?

            Regardless, porn wasn’t mentioned anywhere in that article.

            Also…

            The study authors say that they found just two other cases of masturbation-linked strokes in other scientific literature.

            A whole two cases (three counting the linked one). Doesn’t really seem like an epidemic now, does it? Considering legit every boy does it, and the ones that deny it are likely lying.

            • @lath
              1•1 month ago

              However unlikely, it can nonetheless happen.

              Regardless, porn wasn’t mentioned anywhere in that article.

              Now that’s just quibbling. Porn is generally used for the purpose of masturbation.