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
    1•1 day 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 day 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.