They say everything is bigger in Texas, including the dumbassary.

Because of a new Texas law, major online adult content platforms are now showcasing disclaimers, warning users of the alleged health risks of consuming their content. This decision has garnered significant attention and stems from a contentious Texas law that demanded these sites both verify user ages and present these governmental health cautions.

The spotlight is currently on every Vixen Media Group platform, such as Deeper, Blacked, and Vixen, as they present users within Texas with controversial warnings. These messages suggest that pornographic content is not only “potentially biologically addictive” but has also been “proven to harm human brain development.” Adding to this, the warnings link consumption of such content to an increased demand for “prostitution, child exploitation, and child pornography” and correlate it to a range of “emotional and mental illnesses.”

The origins of these disclaimers trace back to Texas’ HB 1181, which was originally slated to be enacted on September 1st. The law has, however, faced staunch opposition in court. As per HB 1181’s mandate, adult content sites must both showcase disclaimers and verify users’ ages using government-sanctioned identification.

This law didn’t go unchallenged. Prominent industry players, such as Pornhub, Brazzers, and the Free Speech Coalition, came together to contend that it was an unconstitutional decree. They labeled the mandated health warning as a cocktail of “falsehoods, discredited pseudo-science, and baseless accusations.” This sentiment was echoed by District Judge David Alan Ezra, who noted the lack of concrete findings or announcements by the ‘Texas Health and Human Services’ to support these claims.

Despite this, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals intervened on September 19th, freezing the previously imposed injunction against the law. The court has yet to provide a thorough explanation, stating only that the appeal’s review process would be “expedited.”

This development in Texas is not isolated. It’s indicative of a broader trend across the US, where states are imposing stringent regulations on adult content platforms. Following the enactment of an age verification law for adult sites in Arkansas, MindGeek, the operator behind Pornhub, took the drastic step of barring all Arkansas users. This blanket ban strategy has also been employed in other states like Mississippi, Utah, and Virginia, which have rolled out analogous laws.

The fusion of legislation, adult content, and technology has always been a volatile mix. But as the digital landscape shifts, it remains to be seen how this unfolding saga will shape the industry in the long run.