Supremes uphold Texas law that forces age-check before viewing adult material
The US Supreme Court has ruled that Texas’ age certification law for viewing sexually explicit content is valid, meaning that viewers of such material will have to prove their age.
The dispute started in 2023, when the Lone Star State’s legislature approved Texas House Bill 1181, which requires viewers of such material to prove they’re over 18 with a digital ID, a government-issued ID, or transactional-data checks.
A coalition of adult entertainment providers known as the Free Speech Coalition sued on free speech grounds, arguing that an age check violated the rights of adults who wanted to view adult material. A district court ruled for the plaintiffs and imposed a temporary injunction in 2023, then the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and ruled against the adult industry last year, paving the way for a Supreme Court challenge.
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