“Unlock The Gates: GOP Lawmaker Introduces Bill For Age Verification Tech On Porn Sites

Age verification systems are a hot topic of conversation in the digital world. Recently, a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill requiring age verification technology for porn sites. The proposed legislation by Oregon Representative Sheri Malstrom is aimed at protecting children from being exposed to online pornography. The Growing Child Online Protection (G-COP) Act, as the bill is called, would require age verification for any website or digital platform that delivers “age-restricted material.” It would also help ensure the privacy of adult users, by mandating the use of secure identities and other methods of authentication. The bill calls for the establishment of a national age verification system, which will allow businesses and users to easily verify each other’s ages. It also requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create regulations in order to ensure that these systems are effective in protecting children and adult users’ privacy. In addition, G-COP would require porn sites to display a warning on their pages, notifying users that the content is intended for individuals 18 years of age or older. Porn site owners may also be subjected to civil and criminal penalties if they do not comply with the legislation’s age verification requirements. The bill, which was formally revealed on April 10th, 2021, would significantly change the way adult content is delivered on the internet. It has already gathered the support of several advocacy groups, including the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, who have praised it as a “critical first step” in providing enhanced safety for minors. The proposed legislation is a timely reminder of the need to protect young people from the easy access to potentially detrimental material found across the internet. It remains to be seen whether the bill will gain enough support to pass, but many believe that it would be an effective way of helping to keep children and vulnerable people safe from online hazards.