A bad day for pornographers at the Supreme Court
January 16, 2025
It seems like common sense that pornographers such as Pornhub should be required to ask for identification before selling pornography online. It is much the same as a strip club asking for identification before allowing people inside the premises. But 30 years of a faulty Supreme Court precedent has hitherto allowed online pornographers to get away with lower standards of security than must be met by pornographers in the real rather than virtual world. Fortunately, that is now likely to change thanks to the originalist majority of justices on the Supreme Court.
The court heard oral arguments Wednesday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. The “Free Speech Coalition” is a coalition of pornographers including Pornhub. Paxton is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
