Supreme Court leans in favor of state-enforced age limits on porn websites

Los Angeles Times ^ | Jan. 15, 2025 Updated 12:48 PM PT | David G. Savage

[E. Pluribus Unum]

WASHINGTON  —  Thanks to the internet and smartphones, children today have instant access to vast amounts of online pornography, much of it graphic, violent and degrading, Texas state attorneys told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

They urged justices to restore the rules of an earlier era, when X-rated theaters and bookstores had an adults-only policy.

Last year, Texas enacted an age-verification law that requires pornographic websites to confirm their users are 18 or older.

Lawyers for 23 other Republican-led states joined in support of Texas, saying they have or plan to adopt similar measures.

The court’s conservative justices signaled they are prepared to uphold these new laws.

They noted that age-verification rules are now common for online gambling and for buying alcohol or tobacco online.

But more importantly, they pointed to the dramatic change in technology and the easy availability of hardcore pornography.

We are “in an entirely different era,” said Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. “The technological access to pornography has exploded.”

He said that warrants reconsidering rulings from decades past that invoked the 1st Amendment to strike down anti-pornography measures.

In one such ruling, the court in 2004 said parents and librarians could use filtering software to protect children from pornography.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett said parents have long known that “filtering” software is not effective in protecting children. “Kids can get online porn through gaming systems, tablets, phones and computers,” she said. “I can say from personal experience ... content filtering isn’t working.”

In the past, she said the court had no problem upholding laws that prevent bookstores from selling sexually explicit books or magazine to children or teens.

She questioned why online porn should be treated differently.

[reasonisfaith]

There is nothing mysterious about the way liberals think.

The best way to handle liberals is to give them conservatism.

Not to run in fear of what they might say.

[Jonty30]

You would have to take it seriously, but you’ll only do so after the fact.

[reasonisfaith]

No kidding.

Here’s a lesson in the fundamentals of law: interpretation proceeds from both the letter and the spirit.

[Jonty30]

It is a mystery to you, because you don’t see how liberals would use the laws that you want passed to go after the Bible.

On this issue, the only thing the Supreme Court would have to consider is whether pornography is free expression or not. If they ruled it is not, then liberals would go after the Bible.

[reasonisfaith]

The Bible was taken out of schools because the liberals misinterpreted Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists.

Had nothing to do with pornography, which is the opposite of the Bible.

[Jonty30]

Liberals don’t consider spirit of the law, only the words.
I did tell you that you have no understanding of liberals.

[reasonisfaith]

What does the Supreme Court say about yelling fire in a crowded theater?

[reasonisfaith]

You’re terrified of liberals, which is the first mistake of establishment Republicans.

Why do you not see that it makes no sense to run in fear of what liberals might do?

[Jonty30]

It served them, that’s all that matters.

Allowing pornography has everything to do with the Bible. Passing laws against it will result in those laws being used against the Bible and you don’t understand that.

This isn’t Kansas in 1950 anymore. To those hostile to the Bible, it is the equivalent of porn.

[reasonisfaith]

The three principles of Jonty30, each of which is silly and incoherent:

1. the Bible is the same thing as pornography

2. the role of pornography in 1776 was the same as it is today

3. leftists make flawed arguments, so we should be afraid of them and acquiesce to their anti-American agenda

[reasonisfaith]

But those hostile to the Bible already want it banned.

[Jonty30]

I am terrified of philosophies that murdered 250 million in the 20th century and enslaved over a billion and started the majority of 20th century major wars and aborted over 2 billion children.

It’s a deeply evil philosophy.

I understand liberalism, so I know what they would do.

[reasonisfaith]

You’ve been so afraid of the low IQ of liberals for so long, you now think just like they do.

[Jonty30]

I understand they are evil and I understand that you don’t understand how the principle of equality under the law would be used against you.

You call them low IQ, but you have no little understanding as to what they are up to.

[No name given]

Far too many.

[No name given]

Or bomb on an airplane, for that matter.

[No name given]

Good idea.

[reasonisfaith]

Liberalism is the same thing as the bully in school when you were a kid.

Maybe you never stood up to him.

I sure did. To more than one of them. It’s a life lesson like no other.

Liberals fold when you hit them hard.

[Jonty30]

There is no standing up where the law is concerned. I know liberals fold when you confront them directly, but it won’t be the same if they manage to get past the Supreme Court.

[reasonisfaith]

You remember when Cass Sunstein said he was going to get a million leftists and sign them up on places like FreeRepublic?

Sometimes I wonder which posters today are some of the leftovers.