In 18 U.S. states, including Texas, Florida, Indiana, and Virginia, logging onto Pornhub no longer brings up explicit content. Instead, users see a video message from adult film star Cherie DeVille, explaining that the site has been blocked in response to newly enacted age verification laws.

These laws, designed to shield minors from adult content, are gaining momentum nationwide and are now at the center of a pivotal case before the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue is Texas House Bill 1181, which mandates that sites where a third or more of the content is “harmful to minors” must verify the age of all users, typically through the submission of government-issued identification.

The law is being challenged by the Free Speech Coalition, the adult industry’s trade group, in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, a case with broad implications for digital privacy and First Amendment rights. A ruling is expected this July, and after oral arguments where most justices appeared sympathetic to Texas’s position, many legal observers anticipate the court will uphold the law.

On the surface, these laws are framed as child protection measures. Public opinion strongly supports them, with 80% of Americans, including 75% of Democrats, backing the Texas law. But digital rights advocates argue that this widespread support masks critical flaws and hidden dangers.

Research shows that age verification requirements do little to actually stop minors from accessing pornography. Tech-savvy teens often sidestep restrictions using VPNs or anonymous browsers. As a result, critics say, these laws offer false security, and worse, pose real risks to adult users.

By forcing users to submit identifying information to access protected speech, critics warn that these laws may chill lawful expression, open the door to data breaches, and set a precedent for broader internet censorship.

The ACLU, EFF, and others have argued that these requirements violate the Constitution by placing undue burdens on adults and compromising their privacy. Historical context is key: pornography has long been a canary in the coal mine for censorship efforts. And today, some advocates of these laws are increasingly open about broader ambitions.

The Heritage Foundation, through its Project 2025 policy blueprint, has called for a total criminalization of pornography, proposing prison time and sex offender registration for those who create or distribute it. In this light, age verification laws are seen by critics as a first step in a larger campaign to dismantle sexual expression online.

Even beyond porn, the trend is accelerating. Just last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill requiring app stores to verify minors’ ages and secure parental consent before allowing any downloads. Free expression advocates worry that similar policies could soon extend to news sites, social media platforms, or any space where controversial content might be found.

None of this negates the reality that exposure to pornography can be harmful for some minors. Studies show that excessive or early viewing can distort perceptions of sex, consent, and relationships. But opponents of current laws argue that abstinence-based approaches simply don’t work in the digital age.

Instead, researchers and educators advocate for porn literacy as part of comprehensive sex education. One such model, piloted by Emily Rothman of Boston University, encourages students to critically analyze how porn is made and what it communicates about power, pleasure, and consent. Early results indicate that students exposed to this curriculum are less likely to see porn as realistic or educational, arguably a more sustainable outcome than technological barriers.

If the Supreme Court sides with Texas, age verification mandates may rapidly spread, reshaping how Americans access a wide swath of online content. Critics warn the consequences will extend far beyond adult entertainment.

“We may not all want to defend porn,” one advocate noted, “but if we care about free speech and digital rights, we must — because what starts with porn rarely ends there.”

Nobody wants children to have access to porn, but there has to be a better solution. I, for one, think that parents should be responsible for what their children are doing on the internet. But that would be to easy.