U.S. Senator James Lankford is defending state laws requiring age verification to access sexually explicit websites and criticizing Pornhub for urging lawmakers to reject the requirements.
Lankford sent a letter to the company in response to a July 28 letter from Pornhub opposing age-verification laws. Lankford said the requirements are an important tool for preventing children from accessing explicit material online.
“Age verification laws are an important piece of making the internet safer for children,” Lankford wrote. “It is not the only solution to combat this problem, but it is an important start.”
Lankford pointed to Oklahoma’s age-verification law, which he said prohibits platforms from retaining personal information after a user is granted access and includes penalties for companies that fail to comply.
He also cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which upheld a Texas age-verification law. Lankford said the ruling affirmed that states have a legitimate interest in protecting minors from sexually explicit material and that such requirements do not unreasonably burden adults.
Pornhub has argued that age-verification requirements create privacy risks and that technology companies should play a larger role in preventing children from accessing pornography.
Lankford rejected that argument, saying lawmakers can hold technology companies accountable while also requiring explicit-content websites to take steps to prevent access by minors.
“Parents today face an uphill battle when it comes to protecting their children online,” Lankford wrote. “Age verification is one simple step platforms can take to help preserve childhood innocence.”
