
Here’s Why We Need to Protect Kids from Porn Industry
Movieguide® Contributor
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation is fighting for the safety of kids online.
This week, it filed an Amicus brief in support of Texas’ Age Verification Law, which is being contested in FSC v. Paxton.
“There was broad consensus in the courtroom today that pornography is harmful to children and communities should have the ability to take reasonable steps to prevent children from accessing pornography,” said Peter Gentala, senior legal counsel, National Center on Sexual Exploitation. “During the hearing, the pornography industry paid lip service to protecting kids but argued for a standard that doesn’t allow for communities to protect children. In other words, they want a repeat of the last 20 years — which has failed children.”
Pornography is harmful to kids and adults. In children, it can contribute to child-on-child sexual behavior, sexual victimization or high-risk or compulsive sexual behaviors.
An example of how pornography can impact children’s behavior is the case of infamous rapist and serial killer Ted Bundy. His path to valence started by viewing light pornography as a child.
“In the last interview before his execution, serial killer Ted Bundy described to Dr. James Dobson the stages of addiction that he experienced to become a killer, starting with 1950s’ soft-core pornography, which was much milder than what is being shown in most movies and television programs today,” Movieguide® Publisher Dr. Ted Baher wrote in his book, “The Culture Wise Family.”
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“We urge the Supreme Court to uphold the Texas law so that the pornography industry is held responsible for preventing children from easily accessing their sites, and ultimately, so that children’s unrestricted access to online pornography will end,” Gentala said. “We don’t let kids walk into an X-rated store or strip club. Why should it be different online?”
“Protecting kids is common sense. And as a society we now have the tools to do it,” Gentala stated.
Over a dozen other states have passed similar age verification laws. SCOTUS has never reviewed any of them, until now. Its decision could set a precedent for future state age verification laws and impact current state laws.
In 1997, in Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union, Reno argued that it should be a “crime for anyone to engage in online speech that is ‘indecent’ or ‘patently offensive’ if the speech could be viewed by a minor.” However, SCOTUS struck it down, ruling in favor of the ACLU.
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