Major porn site shutting for five states requiring age verification

The pornography website plans to end access from Indiana, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, and Nebraska as the states’ age verification laws take effect in late June and July. The website, which WORLD is choosing not to name, has already blocked access in seven other states. At least 16 states have passed age verification laws for adult entertainment websites and more are considering similar legislation. The website wrote in a blog post that it is blocking access over privacy concerns. The new laws require users to submit a legal form of identification to prove they are over 18 years old.

Who has challenged the laws? The Califonia-based Free Speech Coalition filed a federal lawsuit this month to challenge Indiana’s law. The organization is a trade association for the adult content industry. The complaint alleges that age verification laws violate free speech rights of internet platforms and users. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a similar complaint filed by the same group against the Texas state law. Judges have upheld similar laws in Utah and Louisiana.

Dig deeper: Read Emma Waters’ opinion piece about why these laws are supported by the constitution.