The controversial ‘Porn Passport’ law – balancing online privacy and protecting children

The newly approved Virginia law is an existential threat to online privacy, as it requires users to show identification to access pornographic content.

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The Free Speech Coalition has called the newly approved Virginia law known as the ‘Porn Passport’ an existential threat to online privacy. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed legislation requiring anybody in Virginia seeking access to pornographic information to show photocopies of some identification proving they are above 18. The idea is to keep young children away from this kind of material.

It was reported that sites that do not request user identification to verify the age of the individual requesting access to the content would be punished.

The Free Speech Coalition also states unquestionably that the proposed identification concept will not prevent children under the age of 18 from viewing explicit content because it is effortless for them to use a virtual network (VPN) to change their location and access a pornographic site from a supposedly different location, citing the findings of a recent survey of high school students, which revealed that they can and frequently use VPNs for their digital activities.

According to the FSC, this rule will have minimal impact on protecting young people since, besides being available on websites, pornographic content is also available on social networks, and they referenced another report as evidence. According to the conclusions of that research, 58% of teens were exposed to pornographic content on social media.