Should Congress create stricter age restrictions on x-rated online media?

Science and Technology
SCREEN Act (S. 737)
Awaiting Vote
Bill Summary

S.737, the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act, seeks to shield children from exposure to online pornography. It aims to do so by requiring covered online platforms that present content “harmful to minors” to adopt age-verification technology to ensure that users accessing adult content are not minors. A “covered” platform includes any interactive computer service that makes obscene visual content available for profit. Furthermore, the act would require any age-verification technology to go beyond self-attestation, and mandates that these platforms disclose their age-verification processes to the government. Sponsor: Sen. Mike Lee (Republican, Utah)
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Opponents say

•    "The SCREEN Act would instate nationwide age verification requirements for websites that lawmakers deem “harmful to minors.” Its broad scope could instate online ID checks on everything from actual adult websites to popular social media platforms, fanfiction sites, and even entire telecom networks. Far from promoting safety, it would force websites to contract with shady third-party verification companies to collect and store incredibly sensitive identifying info, like our drivers’ licenses and passports, in insecure databases. With backing from far-right politicians and conservative anti-porn groups, it’s clear what this bill is really intended to do: censor our access to the Internet while collecting our data in droves." Source: FightForTheFuture.org

Proponents say

•    "Internet pornography has infected our culture and corroded the vulnerable minds of America’s kids, with the average age of initial exposure being 12 years old. That’s appalling. The accessibility of commercial pornography calls for the implementation of commonsense guardrails to protect our children. Indiana passed an age verification bill last year, paving the way for the rest of the nation. Our bill combats—with federal legislation—the forces attempting to poison the young minds of America." Source: Sen. Jim Banks (Republican, Indiana) 


•    "As a mother of seven and grandmother to 20, I am committed to defending parental rights. I am proud to join Senator Mike Lee in introducing the SCREEN Act to the House, providing parents with more control over their children's online access and protecting our kids from exposure to pornography. I urge my colleagues in the House to act swiftly in adopting the SCREEN Act to protect American children." Source: Rep. Mary Miller (Republican, Illinois, District 15) 


•    "Like any parent in Utah, I’m deeply concerned that children remain vulnerable to explicit content online, as well as the psychological and societal harm it brings. Our bill ensures that online platforms take responsibility by leveraging modern technology to verify users’ ages and prevent minors from accessing explicit material—all while upholding personal freedoms." Source: Sen. John Curtis (Republican, Utah)

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