The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling upholding Texas's stringent age verification law marks a crucial moment for online privacy and free speech in the U.S. By mandating pornographic websites to ensure visitors are at least 18 years old, the law enforces heavy penalties for non-compliance. Justice Clarence Thomas's majority opinion indicated that the law mainly protects minors without infringing adults' rights. In contrast, Justice Kagan's dissent highlighted the potential infringement of adults' freedom to access protected speech. This ruling is a significant victory for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton amid significant opposition from digital rights groups.
The Supreme Court upheld Texas's age verification law requiring pornographic sites to verify users are over 18, impacting online privacy and free speech.
Justice Thomas stated the law simply requires proof of age for minors without directly regulating adults' speech, affirming no First Amendment right to avoid age verification.
Justice Kagan argued the law unconstitutionally burdens adults' access to protected speech, emphasizing that the First Amendment safeguards sexually explicit materials for all adults.
The ruling represents a significant win for Texas AG Ken Paxton, defending the law against opposition from digital rights advocates and the adult entertainment sector.
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