A real turn-off: Watching porn in Louisiana now requires users to verify their age and submit state-issued ID

  • A new law in Louisiana makes it illegal for porn sites to publish or distribute content that is deemed 'harmful to minors' without installing age verification
  • The law, which took effect on January 1, 2023, applies to sites with at least 33.3% 'harmful to minors' content
  • It is defined as material that 'appeals to prurient interests' and depicts 'sexual acts' or 'nudity' that lack 'serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value' 
  • As a result of the law, Pornhub is now requiring Louisiana users to verify their age through a third-party identity verification site
  • Other major adult sites remain accessible to users in the state

Viewers wanting to watch porn in the state of Louisiana now have to submit state IDs in order to verify their age before accessing adult sites.

A new law went into effect on January 1 which holds porn sites accountable for content deemed 'harmful to minors if they do not implement age verification technology. 

It means that anyone wanting to view pornography in the state must now submit a driving license or another age-identifying ID card.

Pornhub is currently the only site requiring visitors to verify their age through the LA Wallet app, a digital wallet for Louisiana state driver's licenses. 

The law, known as Act 440, allows porn sites to be sued for damages resulting from a minor's access to such content and is an unusually severe step in a series of government crackdowns in the name of child safety.

 

A new law in Louisiana makes it illegal for porn sites to publish or distribute content that is deemed 'harmful to minors' without installing age verification

A new law in Louisiana makes it illegal for porn sites to publish or distribute content that is deemed 'harmful to minors' without installing age verification

Pornhub requires ID  verification for users in Louisiana while other major adult sites, including XVideos and XHamster, still remain accessible and have not yet implemented age checks

Pornhub requires ID  verification for users in Louisiana while other major adult sites, including XVideos and XHamster, still remain accessible and have not yet implemented age checks

The legislation was authored by Republican Representative Laurie Schlegel, who has also advocated for legislation that banned transgender teens from participating in school sports in accordance with their gender identity

The legislation was authored by Republican Representative Laurie Schlegel, who has also advocated for legislation that banned transgender teens from participating in school sports in accordance with their gender identity

It applies to any commercial entity that publishes or distributes such material on the internet from a website that contains at least 33.3 percent porn. 

The legislation was authored by Representative Laurie Schlegel, who has also advocated for legislation that banned transgender teens from participating in school sports in accordance with their gender identity. 

The reasoning behind the law is the fear that 'minors are exposed to pornography at younger ages due to due to advances in technology and the universal availability of the internet.'

The law states how pornography can 'contribute to the hyper-sexualization of children and lead to low self-esteem, body image disorders, and risky sexual behavior.' 

Material that is considered 'harmful to minors' is defined as 'appealing to prurient interests and lacking serious artistic, literary, political, or scientific value for someone under 18 years old'.

The law also states that any commercial entity in violation will be liable for damages resulting from a minor accessing the material. 

As a result of the law, Pornhub is now requiring Louisiana users to verify their age through a third-party identity verification site

Pornhub is currently requiring identity verification for users accessing the site from a Louisiana-based IP address, while other major adult sites, including XVideos and XHamster, still remain accessible from Louisiana and have not yet implemented age checks. 

OnlyFans' site is not loading properly when accessed from a Louisiana IP according to Vice

Legislators in a number of US states have declared pornography to be public health crisis. 

In Utah, sites are required to give users warnings before entering but is considering bringing in age verification. 

A California law passed in August raised concerns that non-pornographic sites might have to verify users’ ages to comply with it, though the rules haven’t yet taken effect. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced a bill that would require age verification for adult sites at a federal level. 

Legislators in a number of U.S. states have declared pornography to be public health crisis. Pictured, the Louisiana state capitol

Legislators in a number of U.S. states have declared pornography to be public health crisis. Pictured, the Louisiana state capitol

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