US States Implement Age Verification Laws for Online Pornography

Several U.S. states are implementing or proposing laws requiring age verification to limit minors' access to online pornography and harmful content, reflecting a growing trend in age assurance regulations. Ohio recently passed a law mandating adult websites to verify users' ages through government-issued IDs or other personal documentation, with enforcement by the Ohio Attorney General and a focus on protecting minors from harmful exposure. Texas enacted the App Store Accountability Act to require age verification for app downloads, though legal and technical challenges raise questions about its enforceability and effectiveness. Internationally, France is testing facial age estimation technology at retail points of sale for tobacco, sparking debate about privacy and data protection under GDPR, with concerns raised even by anti-tobacco advocates about the technology's accuracy and legal implications. These developments follow a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing states to enforce age verification laws for online pornography, fueling broader discussions on regulating access to age-restricted digital content. Despite shared goals to protect youth, experts acknowledge the technical limitations and privacy risks inherent in current digital age verification methods.