A Texas law requiring people to provide proof of age before viewing online porn comes before the U.S. Supreme Court today. With similar laws already at play in 18 states besides Texas, and other states considering such measures, it's fair to say that the future of online porn in this country depends on what the justices decide in this case.
The Texas law (House Bill 1181) is being challenged by multiple plaintiffs, including the Free Speech Coalition (FSC)—an adult industry trade group that's being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union—and several adult content publishers.
H.B. 1181 "burdens constitutionally protected speech based on its content" and "violates this Court's consistent precedent," a lawyer for the FSC told the court in his opening argument this morning.
