South Dakota committee votes on age verification for porn sites
- A legislative committee in South Dakota has endorsed a requirement for age verification to access pornography online.
- The proposal aims to protect children from exposure to pornographic content and draws parallels to a similar law under consideration in Texas.
- If implemented, the law would enforce reasonable age verification measures and reflect ongoing legislative efforts to balance access and protection for minors.
In South Dakota, a legislative committee has recently endorsed a proposal that requires age verification before residents can access pornography online. The initiative, backed by the Artificial Intelligence and Regulation of Internet Access by Minors study committee, seeks to enhance protections for children against explicit content. This proposal is expected to be formally introduced in 2025, after a previous attempt to implement such requirements was rejected by the state Senate. The age verification requirement would necessitate that online platforms employ reasonable methods to confirm that users are at least 18 years of age, potentially by verifying a driver's license, military ID, or bank account information. Lawmakers have emphasized the importance of ensuring that this requirement remains constitutional and enforceable, reflecting their commitment to legislative integrity and constitutional rights. This legislative push in South Dakota mirrors ongoing debates in other states, particularly Texas, where a similar law is currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The outcomes of these discussions could set important precedents for how states manage access to online pornography and protect minors. Overall, these developments highlight a growing concern among lawmakers regarding the need for regulatory measures in the digital age, emphasizing the balance between access to information and safeguarding vulnerable populations from inappropriate content.