Senator Takes Aim at Pornography, Citing Harms and Seeking Age Verification
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Sen. Mike Lee is tackling the issue of pornography, which he sees as a public health crisis, especially for minors. He has introduced legislation like the SCREEN Act to verify ages for commercial porn sites.
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Pornography is now ubiquitous due to the internet and smartphones. Acceptance has grown over time, with 39% now viewing it as morally acceptable compared to 30% in 2011.
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Negative impacts include increased aggression and distorted views of intimacy. 15 states have declared pornography a public health crisis. 73% of teens consumed porn in 2022.
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Advancing technology like AI deepfakes is exacerbating issues. Lee's PROTECT Act would require age verification and consent for people depicted.
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Lee is pushing tech companies to do more to curb exploitation and hopes legislation puts "onus on websites to protect their own users" and brings hope to victims.