The American Principles Project (APP) has submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of a Texas law that mandates age verification for adult websites. This comes as part of the case Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton.

In their brief, APP contends that "obscenity as to minors" is not protected under the First Amendment. The organization argues that technological advancements have made previous assumptions about internet access and age-verification methods outdated. They claim these methods are now more effective and less burdensome, suggesting that states should handle this issue independently as "laboratories of democracy." Currently, 19 states have enacted laws requiring age verification for adult sites.

For additional information on this topic and APP's initiatives, visit ProtectKidsOnline.us.

Terry Schilling, President of APP, emphasized the significance of the case in his statement:

“The current epidemic of online pornography use has been a disaster for our society—and especially for our children. Thanks to advances in technology, a child today on average first encounters porn at age 12, and research has shown that kids’ exposure to this material often leads to mental health issues, relationship difficulties, and a higher risk of sexual abuse among many other negative consequences."

Schilling further stated: “Shielding children from this content ought to be a no-brainer, and the vast majority of Americans agree. There is no reason why legislators should not be able to hold adult websites accountable for keeping their material away from minors. To argue that the First Amendment protects the ability of kids to access porn is obviously absurd—a desperate argument by a threatened, predatory industry."

He concluded with an appeal: “We urge the Supreme Court to side with common sense and uphold Texas’s law.”