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your confusion is understandable, because "age verification" can mean anything from "check the box that says you're 18" to "upload a picture of the front and ba

your confusion is understandable, because "age verification" can mean anything from "check the box that says you're 18" to "upload a picture of the front and back of your driver's license". > When I go to pornhub I have to click a button that days I’m 18. if you were in Texas, it'd be not reachable at all [0]. this is due to a bill [1] that would have required Pornhub to use the more intrusive age-verification options. it also allows for significant fines for non-compliance. if a 16 year old kid used their 19 year old brother's ID to get through the verification, Pornhub could potentially be liable for up to $250k. and the broadest reading of that bill would mean that quarter-million fine applies every time a minor bypassed the age-verification check. 0: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/texas-pornhub-5th-circuit-age-verification-paxton/ https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/texas-pornhub-5th-ci... 1: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB01181F.htm https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/88R/billtext/html/HB01181F...

ndriscoll 2y ago
That fine applies if they don't have a system at all, not for scenarios like you posted.
- genewitch 2y ago
  And who decides if the solution is, you know, appropriate and all that's required and not just half-assing it? Is it something where they would have to get fined $250,000 and then go fight it in court?
- evil-olive 2y ago
  > That fine applies if they don't have a system at all no, that's not accurate. quoting from the bill: > A civil penalty imposed under this section for a violation of Section 129B.002 or 129B.003 may be in an amount equal to not more than the total, if applicable, of: > (1) $10,000 per day that the entity operates an Internet website in violation of the age verification requirements of this chapter; > (2) $10,000 per instance when the entity retains identifying information in violation of Section 129B.002(b); and > (3) if, because of the entity's violation of the age verification requirements of this chapter, one or more minors accesses sexual material harmful to minors, an additional amount of not more than $250,000. if they don't have a system for age verification, the possible fine is $10k per day. run a website for a year, and then the Texas AG gets around to filing a suit against you? that's a possible 3.65 million fine. the possible $250k is on top of that, if minors access porn on such a website. crucially, the law says the age-verification system used must be "reasonable" which gives prosecutors a significant amount of leeway. does your porn site use Honest Achmed's Age Verification Service? if that is easy to bypass, there's nothing stopping them from arguing in court that you may have implemented age-verification, but you didn't comply with the law because you didn't use a reasonable verification service.

ndriscoll 2y ago

That fine applies if they don't have a system at all, not for scenarios like you posted.

genewitch 2y ago
And who decides if the solution is, you know, appropriate and all that's required and not just half-assing it? Is it something where they would have to get fined $250,000 and then go fight it in court?
evil-olive 2y ago
> That fine applies if they don't have a system at all no, that's not accurate. quoting from the bill: > A civil penalty imposed under this section for a violation of Section 129B.002 or 129B.003 may be in an amount equal to not more than the total, if applicable, of: > (1) $10,000 per day that the entity operates an Internet website in violation of the age verification requirements of this chapter; > (2) $10,000 per instance when the entity retains identifying information in violation of Section 129B.002(b); and > (3) if, because of the entity's violation of the age verification requirements of this chapter, one or more minors accesses sexual material harmful to minors, an additional amount of not more than $250,000. if they don't have a system for age verification, the possible fine is $10k per day. run a website for a year, and then the Texas AG gets around to filing a suit against you? that's a possible 3.65 million fine. the possible $250k is on top of that, if minors access porn on such a website. crucially, the law says the age-verification system used must be "reasonable" which gives prosecutors a significant amount of leeway. does your porn site use Honest Achmed's Age Verification Service? if that is easy to bypass, there's nothing stopping them from arguing in court that you may have implemented age-verification, but you didn't comply with the law because you didn't use a reasonable verification service.