A state law that requires porn sites to verify that its users are at least 18 years old is constitutional, according to a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the court’s majority found that Texas is within its authority “to shield children from sexually explicit content” and that this authority “necessarily includes the power to require proof of age” to access pornographic material.
24 states have enacted age verification laws to access pornography on the internet in recent years. The ruling sets nationwide precedent for lower courts reviewing legal challenges to laws in all those other states.
The Institute for Family Studies welcomed the ruling saying it was “a landmark win for America’s children and families, who have been suffering from a Big Porn industry that has been shielded from liability for systemically failing to keep underage users off of its platforms”.