WASHINGTON, DC (January 15, 2025) – The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) urged the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Texas Age Verification Law that protects children from easily accessing harmful online pornography, following the oral arguments that were held today in FSC v. Paxton.
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation Law Center filed an Amicus Brief representing 15 Texas State Senators in support of the Texas law.
“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.
“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.”
Online pornography is a powerful visual stimulus that is disruptive to children’s development contributing to numerous harms including vulnerability to sexual victimization, child-on-child harmful sexual behaviors, high-risk sexual behaviors, and compulsive sexual behaviors. More: Quick Facts on the Harms of Pornography.
About National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE)
Founded in 1962, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national non-profit organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health harms of pornography.
