Republican Senator Jim Banks has introduced the Safety and Age Filtering Enforcement (SAFE) for Kids Act, which would require pornography websites to implement age-verification measures before users can access sexually explicit content.

Protecting Children from Online Porn

The bill is supported by a broad coalition of organizations and advocates, including the American Principles Project, Heritage Action, and Concerned Women for America. According to a 2023 national survey by Common Sense Media, 73% of teen respondents aged 13–17 had watched pornography online, and over half, 54%, said they first viewed pornography by the time they turned 13.

The legislation would extend enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission through consumer protection law, give the Department of Justice authorization to investigate platforms that intentionally violate the law, and allow people, including parents and legal guardians, to sue companies or organizations that violate the law.

Kevin Roberts, president of Heritage Action, stated, ‘Congress must act now to protect our children from adult content on the internet. No more excuses. While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.’ Roberts added, ‘Parents deserve laws that empower them to protect their children. The SAFE for Kids Act is a necessary solution that will finally hold individuals and companies liable if they fail to implement meaningful safeguards to prevent minors from being exposed to explicit content.’

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.