Texas keeps porn age-check law after US Supreme Court rejects free speech challenge in major online content ruling
WASHINGTON, June 28 — The US Supreme Court yesterday upheld a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify visitors' ages, rejecting arguments that this violates free speech and boosting efforts to protect children from online sexual content.
The court's decision will impact a raft of similar laws nationwide and could set the direction for internet speech regulation as concerns about the impact of digital life on society grow.
Texas is one of about 20 US states to institute checks that porn viewers are over 18, which critics argue violate First Amendment free speech rights.
Britain and Germany also enforce age-related access restrictions to adult websites, while a similar policy in France was blocked by the courts a week ago.
US companies like Meta, meanwhile, are lobbying Washington lawmakers for age-based verification to be carried out by smartphone giants Apple and Google on their app stores.
The Texas law was passed in 2023 by the state's Republican-majority legislature but was initially blocked after a challenge by an adult entertainment industry trade association.
A federal district court sided with the trade group, the Free Speech Coalition, saying the law restricted adults' access to constitutionally protected content.
But a conservative-dominated appeals court upheld the age verification requirement, prompting the pornography trade group to take its case to the Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority.
Under the law, companies that fail to properly verify users' ages face fines up to $10,000 per day and up to $250,000 if a child is exposed to pornographic content as a result.
To protect privacy, the websites aren't allowed to retain any identifying information obtained from users when verifying ages, and doing so could cost companies $10,000 daily in fines.
During arguments in January before the Supreme Court, a lawyer representing the Free Speech Coalition said the law was 'overly burdensome' and that its goal could be accomplished using content filtering programs.
But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the mother of seven children, took issue with the efficacy of content filtering, saying that from personal experience as a parent, such programs were difficult to maintain across the many types of devices used by kids.
Barrett also asked the lawyer to explain why requesting age verification online is any different than doing so at a movie theater that displays pornographic movies.
The lawyer for the Free Speech Coalition — which includes the popular website Pornhub that has blocked all access in some states with age verification laws — said online verification was different as it leaves a 'permanent record' that could be a target for hackers.
During the court's hearing of the case in January, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, both Republican appointees, seemed to suggest that advances in technology might justify reviewing online free speech cases.
In 1997, the Supreme Court struck down, in an overwhelming 7-2 decision, a federal online age-verification law in what became a landmark free speech case that set a major precedent for the internet age. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Trump claims he spared Khamenei's life from assassination, vows fresh Iran bombing if nuclear threat resurfaces
WASHINGTON, June 27 — US President Donald Trump said yesterday he had saved Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from assassination and lashed out at the supreme leader for ingratitude, declaring he would order more bombing if the country tried to pursue nuclear weapons. In an extraordinary outburst on his Truth Social platform, Trump blasted Tehran for claiming to have won its war with Israel and said he was halting work on possible sanctions relief. The tirade came as Iran prepared to hold a state funeral for 60 nuclear scientists and military commanders who were killed in the 12-day bombing blitz Israel launched on June 13. Iran says the scientists were among a total of at least 627 civilians killed. Trump said the United States would bomb Iran again 'without question' if intelligence indicated it was able to enrich uranium to military grade. Iran has consistently denied any ambition to develop a nuclear arsenal. Trump accused the Iranian leader of ingratitude after Khamenei said in a defiant message that reports of damage to nuclear facilities were exaggerated and that Tehran had dealt Washington a 'slap' in the face. 'I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life,' Trump posted. 'I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'' Trump also said that he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, one of Tehran's main demands. 'But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,' Trump added, exhorting Iran to return to the negotiating table. Iran has denied it is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States, after Trump said that negotiations were set to begin again next week. Its government on Friday rejected a request by Rafael Grossi, the director of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency, to visit facilities bombed by Israel and the United States, saying it suggested 'malign intent.' Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hit out at Grossi personally in a post on X for not speaking out against the air strikes, accusing him of an 'astounding betrayal of his duties.' 'Beat to hell' Asked earlier in a White House press conference whether he would consider fresh air strikes if last week's sorties were not successful in ending Iran's nuclear ambitions, Trump said: 'Sure. Without question. Absolutely.' Trump added that Khamenei and Iran 'got beat to hell'. The war of words came with a fragile ceasefire holding in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Speculation had swirled about the fate of Khamenei before his first appearance since the ceasefire — a televised speech on Thursday. Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran's 'victory' over Israel, vowing never to yield to US pressure. 'The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,' the Iranian leader said. It was unclear if Khamenei would attend Saturday's state funeral in Tehran. The commemorations begin at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) at Enghelab Square in central Tehran, to be followed by a funeral procession to Azadi Square, about 11 kilometres (seven miles) across the sprawling metropolis. In a televised interview on Friday, Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council, had vowed it would be a 'historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution'. On the first day of the war on June 13, Israel killed Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami. He will be laid to rest after Saturday's ceremony, which will also honour at least 30 other top commanders. Armed forces chief of staff General Mohammad Bagheri will be buried with his wife and journalist daughter who were killed alongside him in an Israeli strike. Of the 60 people who are to be laid to rest after Saturday's ceremony, four are women and four are children. Tehran is still coming to terms with the damage wrought by Israel's bombing campaign, the capital's first taste of war since the devastating 1980-88 conflict with Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Israel bombed multiple residential neighbourhoods as it killed the senior figures being laid to rest on Saturday, many of them in their own homes. Retaliatory drone and missile fire by Iran killed 28 people in Israel, according to official figures. — AFP
Malay Mail
6 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Texas keeps porn age-check law after US Supreme Court rejects free speech challenge in major online content ruling
WASHINGTON, June 28 — The US Supreme Court yesterday upheld a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify visitors' ages, rejecting arguments that this violates free speech and boosting efforts to protect children from online sexual content. The court's decision will impact a raft of similar laws nationwide and could set the direction for internet speech regulation as concerns about the impact of digital life on society grow. Texas is one of about 20 US states to institute checks that porn viewers are over 18, which critics argue violate First Amendment free speech rights. Britain and Germany also enforce age-related access restrictions to adult websites, while a similar policy in France was blocked by the courts a week ago. US companies like Meta, meanwhile, are lobbying Washington lawmakers for age-based verification to be carried out by smartphone giants Apple and Google on their app stores. The Texas law was passed in 2023 by the state's Republican-majority legislature but was initially blocked after a challenge by an adult entertainment industry trade association. A federal district court sided with the trade group, the Free Speech Coalition, saying the law restricted adults' access to constitutionally protected content. But a conservative-dominated appeals court upheld the age verification requirement, prompting the pornography trade group to take its case to the Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority. Under the law, companies that fail to properly verify users' ages face fines up to $10,000 per day and up to $250,000 if a child is exposed to pornographic content as a result. To protect privacy, the websites aren't allowed to retain any identifying information obtained from users when verifying ages, and doing so could cost companies $10,000 daily in fines. During arguments in January before the Supreme Court, a lawyer representing the Free Speech Coalition said the law was 'overly burdensome' and that its goal could be accomplished using content filtering programs. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the mother of seven children, took issue with the efficacy of content filtering, saying that from personal experience as a parent, such programs were difficult to maintain across the many types of devices used by kids. Barrett also asked the lawyer to explain why requesting age verification online is any different than doing so at a movie theater that displays pornographic movies. The lawyer for the Free Speech Coalition — which includes the popular website Pornhub that has blocked all access in some states with age verification laws — said online verification was different as it leaves a 'permanent record' that could be a target for hackers. During the court's hearing of the case in January, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, both Republican appointees, seemed to suggest that advances in technology might justify reviewing online free speech cases. In 1997, the Supreme Court struck down, in an overwhelming 7-2 decision, a federal online age-verification law in what became a landmark free speech case that set a major precedent for the internet age. — AFP
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
How Steve Jobs would have reacted to Apple's WWDC liquid glass redesign
There are two Steve Jobs keynotes that stand out in my memory more than any other. The first, of course, is the moment he introduced the iPhone in 2007. The entire keynote was a master class in storytelling, engineering, and showmanship. But my favourite part was when Jobs, in the middle of a live demo, prank called a Starbucks and calmly said he wanted to order 4,000 lattes to go. Then he quickly added, 'Just kidding,' and hung up the call. It was a small thing, but it was unforgettable. It was unexpected. It was … fun. But there's another moment that sticks with me. It's less iconic, but only because on the scale of the iPhone, everything is less iconic. It was, however, just as telling about how Jobs thinks about products and how to talk about them. It was 2000, when Jobs introduced Mac OS X's Aqua interface. The new design was fluid, full of gradients and transparency. It was colorful and reflective – almost glossy. It looked unlike anything else at the time. And when Jobs talked about it, he said something that defined Apple's relationship with design for the next two decades: 'One of the design goals was that when you saw it, you wanted to lick it.' Then he paused and licked his lips. I often think about the fact that the goal of designing a piece of software that millions of people would use was as much about how it made people feel as it was about being useful. Obviously, it had to be useful, but it also had to be fun. It had to be delightful. This brings me to this year's WWDC. Apple announced a major redesign of all its software platforms with what it's calling 'Liquid Glass.' According to Alan Dye, Apple's VP of human interface design, the goal was to give the system 'depth, vibrancy, and a new level of expression.' It's a very different look, especially on the iPhone – but there are real changes on the Mac as well. But the thing I keep thinking about is: Where's the fun? The keynote was impressive. It was polished. It was efficient. But it didn't quite feel joyful. It didn't feel like Apple was showing off something it loved. It felt like Apple was explaining something it had to get right. Dye used a lot of words to explain how the company studied the properties of glass and how it reflects and refracts light. The thing is, I think it would have been fine if he'd just said Apple thinks it's really cool. I've heard and read critics saying that Jobs would roll over in his grave if he saw the new interface design. That's the kind of thing that's easy to say for views, but I don't think it's true at all. First, the new design is still an early beta. Yes, there are things that don't work from a design perspective – but it's far too early to pass judgment. I have confidence that Apple will fix them as it gets closer to September when it ships them to the public. My point isn't that Jobs wouldn't have liked what Apple is doing with Liquid Design. My point is that he would have had a lot more fun with it than the company seems to be having. Perhaps it's harder now than in 2000. Perhaps that's because Apple is under intense pressure, now more than ever. It's been a year since Apple teased the arrival of a smarter Siri and its broader vision for AI, now branded 'Apple Intelligence.' Expectations are high, especially as it seems the competition is delivering on Apple's promises with more speed and consistency than Apple itself. But the Liquid Glass redesign – what should have been the most obviously delightful part – felt strangely sterile. During the Aqua introduction, Jobs said that 'when you design a new user interface, you have to start off humbly. You have to start off saying, 'What are the simplest elements in it? What does a button look like?' And you spend months working on a button.' The implication was that even something as small as a button can carry emotion, weight, and personality. I miss the company that wasn't afraid to get weird. To call a design 'lickable.' To order 4,000 lattes from the stage. I'm not saying Apple needs to recreate Steve Jobs's persona. That would be impossible – and probably a bad idea. But I do think it needs to rediscover a little of that energy. That sense of play. That design isn't just functional, or even beautiful. It's emotional. It's fun. A user interface doesn't have to be revolutionary to be memorable. It just has to make you feel something. Better yet if that feeling is: 'I kinda want to lick this.' – Inc./Tribune News Service
