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Porn Ban Backdoor? Age Checks Spark Censorship Fears
5 Dec
Summary
- Age verification laws may pose privacy risks, experts warn.
- Studies suggest these laws fail to keep minors off adult sites.
- Device-level filters are proposed as a more ethical solution.
Mandates requiring age verification for adult content websites are proliferating globally, often demanding sensitive personal data. While proponents cite child protection, experts caution about significant privacy and security risks, noting that current platform-based age gating is easily circumvented by minors.
Recent studies reveal that such laws can inadvertently function as censorship. Adults may be deterred from accessing content due to fears of data exposure, with the cost to First Amendment rights outweighing the alleged benefits. Some advocate for a complete ban on pornography, viewing age verification as a "back door" to this goal.
A more ethical and privacy-preserving solution proposed by experts involves device-level filters. California's AB 1043, effective in 2027, will require operating systems to establish device-level age signals, limiting data shared with applications. This approach, supported by organizations like Aylo and the ACLU, prioritizes consumer privacy while still offering age assurance.
