Government ID now required to access online pornography in Louisiana
Christopher Hutton
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Louisiana residents now have to submit proof of their age to access pornographic websites, thanks to a law that went into effect on Jan. 1.
The state implemented a law on Sunday that will require residents to submit evidence of a government-provided ID to confirm their age before being allowed to access websites where the content is 33% or more pornographic. The state is the first to implement such age restrictions, although other states have passed similar laws, and some Republicans have introduced legislation that would implement such rules on a federal level.
“Pornography is destroying our children and they’re getting unlimited access to it on the internet, and so if the pornography companies aren’t going to be responsible, I thought we need to go ahead and hold them accountable,” argued the bill sponsor, Republican state Rep. Laurie Schlegel.
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Some users reported that they were prompted by pornography websites such as PornHub to verify their age via the state website LA Wallet before being allowed to access the website. There will be other ways to verify a user’s age, although those involved with the project claim that the software does not save any critical identifying information, such as date of birth or location.
Some lawmakers are considering similar restrictions on a federal level. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) proposed a law requiring age verification for accessing pornography websites.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law in September that would require age verification for younger users to access certain social media platforms. The proposal was slammed by tech lobbying groups, which called it unconstitutional and invasive.
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Regulators in the United Kingdom have been attempting to strengthen restrictions on access to pornography. The Information Commissioner’s Office announced in September that it was reversing its position on the Children’s Code and Age Appropriate Design Code and would take additional action to restrict and regulate children’s access to pornographic content.