Federal judge strikes down Texas porn website age verification law

Pornhub and similar online sites scored a victory when a federal judge struck down a Texas law requiring users to verify their age and see health warnings before enjoying the salacious material.

The law, signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and due to take effect Friday, is too broad and unconstitutional, U.S. District Judge David Ezra said in his 81-page decision.

Pornhub and other sites fought the Texas statute – as well as similar laws in Louisiana, Utah, Mississippi and Arkansas. Violating the Texas law carried fines of up to $250,000.

Ezra issued the court order blocking enforcement of the law in response to a porn trade association group’s Aug. 4 lawsuit.

The law could endanger users’ privacy as the proposed age verification tool uses a government-issued identification that is traceable, Ezra pointed out in his ruling.

“This is a huge and important victory against the rising tide of censorship online,” said Alison Boden, executive director of the trade association Free Speech Coalition.

“From the beginning, we have argued that the Texas law, and those like it, are both dangerous and unconstitutional. We’re pleased that the court agreed with our view that [the law’s] true purpose is not to protect young people, but to prevent Texans from enjoying First Amendment protected expression. The state’s defense of the law was not based in science or technology, but ideology and politics.”

Texas will have to wait until this lawsuit is litigated to enforce the law.