By Josiah Jones

Pornography is everywhere. . A recent report estimated that twelve percent of all websites on the entire internet are dedicated to porn. And none are more harmed by this billion dollar industry than children. Studies show that one in four children are exposed to porn by age twelve, with some as young as seven stumbling across it. Many  of these exposures are by accident. Children, with their brains, morals, and worldviews under active formation, are especially susceptible to the addictive properties and negative health effects of porn.

 In 2023, the Adult & Pornographic Websites industry was on track to match the revenue of the NCAA at $1.15 billion.

The result has been a crippling public health crisis at levels never seen before. The majority of porn online is extremely violent, leading to distorted perceptions about sex and relationships. According to research, 88.2% of pornographic videos depict sexual violence, while 48.7% of these same videos include some kind of verbal abuse. 

Use of porn correlates with a lack of positive self-image, an increase in divorce, and poor mental health, all of which are now at the highest levels ever recorded. Even worse,porn is known to be one of the most difficult addictions to break—brain scans have shown that porn affects the brain similarly to addictive drugs.

 For years, many felt that it was simply impossible to fight the porn industry’s assault on our children. But in 2023, a Louisiana state law did the impossible.

Louisiana, and now 24 other states, passed a simple law requiring pornographic websites to verify that anyone attempting to gain access to explicit content is over the age of 18 using a form of ID, similar to what is required to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, and yes, porn, in person. These laws, known as age verification laws, require the use of tested and accurate digital age verification methods that are already in use for activities such as online gambling.

These laws have proven effective in protecting children. In some states, traffic to large porn websites has decreased and in others, porn companies have entirely pulled out, preferring that to enacting the bare-minimum protections for children. These age verification laws aren’t just working, they were also upheld as valid in the US Supreme Court, with the Court declaring  such laws constitutional, “important,” and “even compelling”.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton should put to rest any lingering concerns about whether such age-verification laws violate the First Amendment. The Court affirmed not only the constitutionality of these laws but also the state’s compelling interest in protecting children from online pornography. As the majority opinion stated:

“No person—adult or child—has a First Amendment right to access speech that is obscene to minors without first submitting proof of age.”

Just as we lawfully require ID to purchase alcohol or cigarettes in person—products known to harm children—states may require proof of age online to prevent minors from accessing content that is just as damaging, if not more so. The Court even noted that “an age-verification requirement is an ordinary and appropriate means of enforcing an age limit,” making clear that such laws are both legally sound and long overdue.

Pennsylvania now finds itself in the minority of states without an age verification law. As it stands, children in our Commonwealth have free access to pornography at the click of a mouse. Bipartisan age verification legislation has been sponsored by Rep. Jill Cooper (R-Westmoreland) and Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D-Berks) in the House and Sen. Cris Dush (R-Cameron) and Sen. Judy Ward (R-Blair) in the Senate, with  both bills in committee.

Age verification legislation is a tested and successful step in the right direction in the fight against the porn crisis. By passing this legislation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania sends a loud signal: we will take a stand to protect our children .Urge your state representative and senator to act. With bipartisan support building nationally and a strong constitutional green light from the Supreme Court, there’s no excuse to delay.

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Take Action

Contact your State Representative and State Senator to support House Bill 1513 and Senate Bill 603 to help stop minors from Ask Your Legislator to Vote YES to Protect Children from Pornography

Since 2022, 23 states have passed laws that require pornography websites to verify that users are 18 or older, a similar requirement to age verification for gambling or alcohol purchases. This protects children from exposure to porn and the serious harms that come with it.

It’s time for Pennsylvania to act!  Your lawmaker needs to hear from you. HB 1513 and SB 603 would help stop minors from accessing porn online and give parents stronger tools to protect their children’s digital lives.