⚖️ Supreme Court upholds Texas age verification law

SCOTUS Upholds Texas Law Mandating Age Verification for Sexual Content

In a 6-3 decision Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring all websites hosting content deemed “harmful to minors” to verify the ages of all visitors using government ID or third-party verification. The Free Speech Coalition, representing the adult entertainment industry, had challenged the law, citing concerns over privacy and the First Amendment. But the Court sided with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, ruling that states have the power to mandate age checks to shield minors from sexually explicit material, potentially affecting a wide swath of online publishers and platforms.

Far-Reaching Implications for Internet Privacy and Content Moderation

This decision opens the door for more aggressive regulation of online content under the banner of protecting minors. Eighteen states have already enacted similar laws, and six more are set to follow. Privacy advocates warn that these measures could require users to surrender sensitive documents, often through third-party platforms with unclear data practices, creating huge cybersecurity and civil liberties risks. LGBTQ and civil rights groups also fear that “harmful to minors” may be broadly or politically defined, putting educational, queer, and sexual health content at risk.

Reassess Content Access and Privacy Practices Now

If your product hosts user-generated content, sexual education, or health-related resources, it’s time to conduct a legal and privacy audit. Even startups that don’t target adult audiences may get swept into compliance burdens depending on how states define “harmful content.” Consider whether you’d need to implement geofenced access, introduce age gating, or utilize identity verification vendors. Founders should also monitor evolving definitions across jurisdictions. If your brand relies on anonymity, be aware that the next battleground may be whether users must show ID to log in.

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