A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit filed by a pornography industry group challenging Utah’s new law requiring websites to verify users’ ages before providing sexually explicit material online. While this decision represents a victory for state efforts to safeguard minors against viewing adult material online, critics still claim the law impedes upon free speech and threatens digital privacy.
The Free Speech Coalition filed this lawsuit on behalf of porn entertainers, erotica authors and sex educators as well as people who regularly watch pornography because it can sometimes be impossible for them to verify their age online. They plan to appeal the ruling.
Pornhub and Brazzers started blocking access for Utah users starting Monday, citing a new state law which took effect March 1 requiring them to verify their age before permitting access. Furthermore, this law allows Utah residents to directly sue porn sites, which lawmakers believe necessary due to the harmful effects that pornography has on children and young adults.
Pornhub may have been the first company to block Utah, but Stabile anticipates other websites will follow suit or use third-party verification tools like Yoti to validate users, such as Verify for Age to verify them. He noted the law has had “an enormous chilling effect on anyone operating in sexual wellness space.” Utah lawmakers insist they are working toward making sure the internet remains safe for children and that any inappropriate material can easily be blocked through parental controls.