Tennessee Judge Blocks Porn Site Age Verification Law Over Free Speech Concerns
The ruling halts enforcement of Tennessee's law, as similar measures take effect in other states and face legal challenges.
- A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking Tennessee's age verification law for pornographic websites, citing potential First Amendment violations and ineffectiveness in protecting minors.
- The law, which took effect on January 1, would have required users to verify their age through ID or transactional data, with felony penalties for non-compliance by websites.
- The Free Speech Coalition and other advocacy groups argue such laws are unconstitutional, ineffective, and pose significant privacy risks for users providing sensitive information.
- Similar laws are now in effect in Florida and South Carolina, leading Pornhub to block access in those states, as well as in 14 others where comparable laws have been enacted.
- The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on January 15 regarding the constitutionality of Texas' age verification law, which could set a precedent for ongoing legal disputes.
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