Texas can require porn websites to verify users' ages, Supreme Court rules

[RandySF]

Texas’ law requiring Pornhub and other adult websites to verify users’ ages is constitutional and can remain in effect, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

The case stems from a 2023 law, HB 1181, that required websites to verify that a user is over the age of 18 if more than one-third of their content is considered harmful to minors. A group of adult entertainment websites sued, arguing this violated free speech and privacy protections.

Texas countered that the state had a right to protect children with what Solicitor General Aaron Nielson framed as “simple, safe and common” restrictions.

While the Supreme Court justices seemed divided on the free speech issues, a 6-3 majority of the Court ultimately sided with Texas, finding that requiring age verification “is within a State’s authority to prevent children from accessing sexually explicit content.”




https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-porn-websites-age-verification-law-supreme-court/

[unblock]

1. If that doesn't get us to the 3.5% of the population needed to end authoritarian rule, I don't know what will.

[gay texan]

2. What a shame!

(Opens VPN)

[dutch777]

3. ROFL. How does one "prove" one's age over the internet really?

[PJMcK]

4. SCOTUS is really dumb

Do they really think that teenagers-- who tend to be very tech-savvy-- can't figure out how to circumvent the age verification processes?

Hey, Roberts! Ever hear of VPNs?

[msongs]

5. free "porn" is widely available to anybody of any age using the internet...anybody (esp in Utah)

[no_hypocrisy]

6. This is a joke. The son of my friend stole his wallet and used the information

on the drivers license and credit card to buy access to porn sites at age 15.