A growing number of Mountain West states are trying to prevent minors from watching pornography.
Despite legal obstacles, , and have passed laws requiring sites to verify age, and Wyoming could be next.
鈥淲e would never really allow this type of negligence in physical spaces, so why should we allow it online?鈥� asked Fremont County resident Joseph Martinez, while giving testimony at a
He and other proponents of the bill, , say kids are being targeted with obscene material and often stumble upon this stuff by accident.
require adult content sites to verify ages. This is often done by checking IDs, according to Iain Corby, who leads the , a U.K.-based not-for-profit trade body representing at least 30 age verification providers.
鈥淵ou take a photograph of [your ID] with your phone. You take a selfie,鈥� Corby told lawmakers. 鈥淲e compare the two, and if they match, we can check your age.鈥�
Sites can also verify ages with a credit or debit card, or through facial recognition. Corby said all personal data is deleted.
Some , however, say these laws violate privacy and free speech rights. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, they make it harder for adults to access this kind of content, while pushing children into 鈥渄arker corners of the internet.鈥�
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently and is expected to release a decision this summer.
鈥淧assing HB 43 amid such legal uncertainty raises serious First Amendment concerns,鈥� the Wyoming Library Association鈥檚 Conrrado Saldivar said at the
Saldivar also said that while the association supports the intent of the Wyoming bill, it鈥檚 just too broad. He worries that it could limit access to library databases that carry certain comic books or graphic novels, and result in more costs for already-struggling libraries.
A judge against the Utah law, after an industry group challenged its constitutionality. Montana鈥檚 age verification law is
The Wyoming legislation has passed the state House and awaits consideration in the Senate.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .