Source: Liberal Currents
by Michael McGrady Jr.
“The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a controversial Texas law requiring age verification to access online pornography. Enacted by the Republican supermajority in the Texas legislature in 2023 and aggressively defended by Attorney General Ken Paxton, the court’s 6–3 decision against stakeholders in the online adult industry marked a significant shift in how the state may regulate access to lawful speech online. … Texas House Bill 1181 is presented as a child-protection measure. But it is part of a political project — one that seeks to normalize identity-gated access to lawful speech and to expand state power over digital life under the moral cover of protecting minors. … Once built, such systems are easily repurposed to censor disfavored groups. The danger is not only in restricting access to online pornography but in establishing a precedent for government-mandated checks.” (02/24/26)