In a significant step towards upholding family values and protecting minors from harmful content, new legislation in Virginia and Mississippi now holds pornography websites liable if they fail to implement stringent age-verification measures. The new laws demand that any site containing a “substantial portion” of explicit content is responsible for verifying that its users are above 18 years of age, through reliable identification methods such as a driving license.
Following the pioneering steps of Utah and Louisiana, Virginia and Mississippi have risen to the challenge to safeguard our children from exposure to inappropriate material. These states are championing measures to maintain the sanctity of childhood and prevent the premature exposure of children to adult content.
Mississippi’s officials have shed light on the serious repercussions of pornography, which include an alarming rise in problematic sexual activity among young people and an increasing tendency towards harmful sexual behaviors and addiction. They argue that these laws are necessary to preserve societal values and the mental well-being of our youth.
Despite the legal obligations, Pornhub, one of the world’s largest purveyors of explicit content, has chosen to ignore the legislation and has instead blocked access to its site in these states. This defiance highlights the urgent need for more robust and widespread regulation of online content across the country.
The UK Government has recently embarked on a similar journey, launching a comprehensive review of pornography regulation to address any loopholes allowing exploitative, abusive, and illegal online content. This review aims to create a consistent legal framework that applies to both online and offline pornographic material. It’s important to not delay necessary action. The time to act is now, in order to ensure the safety and well-being of our youth.