It’s not states blocking porn sites. It’s states treating porn site companies similarly to bars. “If we catch you serving minors, we’re gonna sue the shit out of you.”
The only legally airtight way to know you’re not serving minors is to check valid IDs for every visitor. Just like a bar. But since doing that for a website is a huge burden and still a tremendous risk, companies like Pornhub aren’t playing ball. Instead of complying with the new laws, they’re simply choosing to refuse service to any user from one of these hostile states. Can’t get in trouble for serving minors from certain states if you don’t serve anyone from those states at all.
Of course they can, ineffectively, and sometimes legally. It depends on the details.
I suppose here the states will lose in court, but it takes time… 1A is on the people’s side, and precedent is also on the people’s side. But the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court is batshit crazy, so who knows.
I had no idea that US states could block websites at the state level
This is porn websites choosing to block users from certain states rather than jump though ID law hoops.
It’s not states blocking porn sites. It’s states treating porn site companies similarly to bars. “If we catch you serving minors, we’re gonna sue the shit out of you.”
The only legally airtight way to know you’re not serving minors is to check valid IDs for every visitor. Just like a bar. But since doing that for a website is a huge burden and still a tremendous risk, companies like Pornhub aren’t playing ball. Instead of complying with the new laws, they’re simply choosing to refuse service to any user from one of these hostile states. Can’t get in trouble for serving minors from certain states if you don’t serve anyone from those states at all.
Of course they can, ineffectively, and sometimes legally. It depends on the details.
I suppose here the states will lose in court, but it takes time… 1A is on the people’s side, and precedent is also on the people’s side. But the Fifth Circuit Appeals Court is batshit crazy, so who knows.