A law that took effect in Louisiana this week means visitors to adult websites must now provide identification. Anyone under 18 years of age is prohibited.<\/p>\n

MindGeek, the parent company behind Pornhub and other popular adult platforms, now requires visitors in Louisiana to submit their driver’s license or state ID before viewing any videos.<\/p>\n

The rule change comes as a result of Louisiana House Bill 142<\/a>, which was passed last year. It says platforms must check IDs if “more than thirty-three and one-third percent<\/span> of total material” on the platform could be defined as “material harmful to<\/span>
minors.” The law defines “material harmful to minors” to include basically any pornographic content, and then some. <\/span>The definition includes not just depictions or descriptions of various body parts (“pubic hair, anus, vulva, genitals, or nipple of the female breast”) and any sex act but also “any material that the average person, applying contemporary community <\/span>standards would find, taking the material as a whole and with respect to minors, is<\/span> designed to appeal to, or is designed to pander to, the prurient interest.” <\/span><\/p>\n

Porn platforms can verify viewer ages using an app developed by the state government called LA Wallet<\/a>, which digitizes driver’s licenses.<\/p>\n

What could go wrong? So much!<\/p>\n

Sure, most people would prefer minors not log on to porn websites. But do lawmakers really think this will actually prevent motivated teenagers from finding online porn? Not only can they still access online porn platforms not subject to Louisiana laws, but they can also still view porn on U.S. platforms so long as porn only makes up a portion of a platform’s content. They could also easily use a VPN to mask their real locations.
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While the law might not actually stop minors from glimpsing naked bodies, it will infringe on the privacy of plenty of adults, providing a record of everyone who wants to watch videos on Pornhub or other popular porn platforms.<\/p>\n

Porn platforms are instructed not to store any data from LA Wallet after verifying ages. But mistakes can be made. And it’s unclear how LA Wallet records and retains information about where it’s been used.<\/p>\n

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Hello from the surveillance state of Louisiana. People in Louisiana have to use their drivers license to go to pornhub. This is truly wild. Under his eye. https:\/\/t.co\/uji6Jo3Tde<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/pVKEeVcCGw<\/a><\/p>\n

— Public Defendering (@fodderyfodder) January 2, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n