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]

Not only do I understand liberal thinking—I know more about it than they do.

[Jonty30]

You can try that arguement if you want. The only thing that matters is the words contained within the book.

[reasonisfaith]

You mean when the world failed to take a stand against Marxism?

Like you’re doing with pornography? (which is simply a different form of Marxism)

[Jonty30]

No, you don’t understand liberal thinking. If you did, you’d understand that their willingness to put porn in schools was done with an eye to ban the Bible.

I talk and pay attention to liberal arguements all the time.

You keep telling yourself how much you think you know.

[Jonty30]

Liberalism = Marxism, sweetie.

Liberals are Trotskyites. They believe in the continuous pressure of government until they get what they want.

[reasonisfaith]

No, you’re wrong.

The Bible is the opposite of pornography.

[reasonisfaith]

There’s nothing about liberal thinking I don’t know.

Try me.

[reasonisfaith]

Wait a minute. Are you female?

[Jonty30]

The idea of banning the Bible because porn was banned is beyond you, so I think I did try you.

[reasonisfaith]

If you are, I’m going quietly into the night.

[Jonty30]

I thought you were female, my apologies.
Didn’t mean anything by it.

I had my own battle with porn for many years that God finally freed me from, so I do understand your concern about it.

I think the age verification is probably the best way to put soft pressure on people to not use it, without running the risk of those same laws being used to ban the Bible.

[reasonisfaith]

Don’t worry, for whatever reason your comment doesn’t bother me. I think it’s because I’m now convince you’re female, which makes this an entirely different dynamic, and that I believe you must have read my deep state file which tells me the statement is fabricated anyway.

What a beautiful synchronicity, that I asked you the question in post #188.

[T.B. Yoits]

No fatties or uggos.

[Jonty30]

I’m not female. I’m quite male.

[reasonisfaith]

Well, the Cass Sunstein crowd has different people working the accounts at different times, so for all I know I was talking to a female earlier on.

If it was a female when I talked about hitting back, then I apologize.

[Jonty30]

No offense was taken on my part. I’m just concerned that you underestimate how the laws you would like passed will be used against Christians in the US.

[bakeneko]

This is just another way for that ‘Data Center’ to keep files on everyone.

This thread is full of ‘Conservatives’ who are all on-board with the Patriot Act, apparently. But OK, its ‘For the Children’ TM, Right?

This kind of petty moralism has held back real Conservatism in this country for DECADES because most reasonable people just do not sign onto it.

[Secret Agent Man]

More people believe womens lies, as well. They lie and cry, and people are duped by their crapola.

[Secret Agent Man]

Correct. Porn is just the useful excuse government wants to use, in this case, to take away freedom.

[Oil Object Insp]

Pornhub.com is the 4th most visited website on the planet.

It has a huge effect.