As today’s youth navigate a reality where information and indecency are a click away, parents, educators, and legislators are grappling with such readily-available technology and the impact it has on developing young minds.
State Representative Ben Robbins (R-Sylacauga) wants to change that by regulating pornographic content providers themselves. Robbins proposed a bill for the upcoming 2024 legislative session that would block pornographic sites for anyone under 18 years old.
Robbins’ bill would require porn sites to have a valid photo ID to confirm the user from Alabama is at least 18 years of age to access their content.
“The younger you are when you view pornographic material, it tends to make you have unhealthy views of a sexual relationship and what that actually looks like,” Robbins told WBRC.
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If passed and signed, Robbins’ bill would require explicit content companies to register with the state of Alabama as adult content distributors.
Robbins’ bill, which has not yet been pre-filed, would reportedly also create additional state taxes for content sold by pornographic websites. Robbins would allocate the money for mental health services.
Robbins’ bill also addresses content featuring individuals who are unknowingly shown on pornography sites by requiring that distributors have written consent from everyone involved.
Louisiana, Texas, and Utah have similar laws. The Free Speech Coalition has sued to keep those laws from being enforced.
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