The Supreme Court heard arguments on a law requiring online pornography sites to verify the age of users in Texas.
The debate Wednesday morning, Jan. 15, lasted about two hours, livestreamed by PBS News and other outlets, and featured opposing sides making their case that Texas law requiring online age verification to access pornographic websites infringes on the free speech rights of adult users.
Passed in 2023, the law requires porn sites to verify the age of users with a government-issued ID or other alternative. Other states have similar requirements.
House Bill 1181 was signed by Gov. Greg Abbott and set to take effect on Sept. 1, 2023.
In Wednesday’s oral arguments, U.S. Supreme Court justices expressed worries over the availability of online pornography to minors but also voiced concern over burdens imposed on adults to view constitutionally protected material, reported Reuters.
Meanwhile, a lawyer with the porn industry, Derek Shaffer, brought up the law’s flaws, reported CNN, and that the Supreme Court recognized the high court’s role in making the internet a “free medium of expression.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended the law and posted a photo on X that appeared to show him addressing the media outside of the Supreme Court Building.
“TODAY: Attorney General Ken Paxton defended a Texas law that protects children by requiring online pornography sites to institute reasonable age verification measures at the Supreme Court of the United States,” the post said.
USA Today contributed to this report.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on Twitter; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
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This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Supreme Court reviews Texas’ age-verification law for porn sites