Ohio residents seeking to access online pornography will now be required to prove they are at least 18 years old under a new state law that took effect today (September 30, 2025).

The requirement was tucked into Ohio’s two-year budget, signed in June, after years of unsuccessful attempts to pass standalone age-verification bills. Lawmakers say the measure is designed to keep minors from accessing explicit material, but civil liberties advocates warn it could erode privacy and restrict lawful speech.

The statute requires websites that “sell, deliver, furnish, disseminate, provide, exhibit, or present” material deemed obscene or harmful to juveniles to implement “reasonable” age-verification systems.

Acceptable methods include:

• Uploading a government-issued photo ID
• Verification through third-party or government databases
• Use of transactional data, such as mortgage, employment, or educational records

The law specifies that once verification is complete, the data must be deleted. Failure to comply could result in civil lawsuits from the Ohio Attorney General’s office.

The law applies primarily to websites that generate revenue from pornographic or explicit content. Traditional news media outlets, cable providers, and streaming platforms are exempt. Legislators say major social media sites such as X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit are also outside the law’s scope.

Supporters argue the measure will protect minors. “We’re gonna preserve and protect the innocence of our kids here in the state of Ohio,” said state Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania).

But the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has called the law a barrier to constitutionally protected speech, noting that the definition of “harmful to juveniles” is subjective. Privacy advocates also warn of potential data leaks.

“Creating a log of the pornography that we watch is not a direction that we want to go in as a country,” said Cleveland resident Mallory McMaster.

Pornhub and other major sites have previously responded to similar laws by cutting off access in affected states. According to the Free Speech Coalition, the adult industry’s trade group, Pornhub has already withdrawn services from 17 states with comparable mandates. It remains unclear if the company will follow suit in Ohio.

Ohio is the 24th state to adopt an age-verification law for online pornography. Others include Kentucky, Florida, Texas, Utah, and Louisiana. Missouri is set to become the 25th state later this year, and additional states are considering legislation.