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EXCLUSIVE – Republican lawmakers are pushing to require pornography websites to verify users' ages, arguing that children can access explicit material online "with just a few clicks" and that parents need stronger tools to keep minors off commercial porn platforms.
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., introduced the Safety and Age Filtering Enforcement (SAFE) for Kids Act on Tuesday, legislation that would require pornography websites to implement age-verification measures before users can access sexually explicit content.
"Kids should not be exposed to pornography with just a few clicks," Banks told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The SAFE for Kids Act helps parents protect their children and bring commonsense safeguards nationwide."
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A 2023 national survey by Common Sense Media found that 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, which Banks’ office says is supported by a "broad coalition of organizations and advocates," including the American Principles Project, Heritage Action, Institute for Family Studies, National Decency Coalition, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Concerned Women for America, would require commercial entities that distribute pornography on the internet to have age verification on their sites.
It also extends enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission through consumer protection law, gives the Department of Justice authorization to investigate platforms that intentionally violate the law and allows people, including parents and legal guardians, to sue companies or organizations that violate the law.
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The Common Sense Media survey also found that 15% of teens who responded to the survey said they first saw online pornography at age 10 or younger, and the average age reported for first viewing pornography was 12.
Additionally, the survey suggested that pornography may play a larger role in exploration for LGBTQ+ teens, with two-thirds of LGBTQ+ teen respondents saying they viewed pornography intentionally.
Banks’ office said that over 25 states have enacted age verification requirements for pornography websites, and highlighted that the Supreme Court upheld these laws in Free Speech Coalition vs. Paxton, "recognizing the government’s interest in protecting children from sexual material online."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kevin Roberts, president of Heritage Action, said, "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. Americans are angry that their kids are being indoctrinated into a left-wing ideology intended to infiltrate their hearts and corrupt their moral center."
"Parents deserve laws that empower them to protect their children," Roberts added. "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. Congress has a duty to act, and the time to do so is now."
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