(The Center Square) – Less than two weeks after Ohio’s new age verification law took effect, Attorney General Dave Yost has put pornography sites on notice.
Already, 19 of the top 20 adult websites have failed to comply with the new regulations, prompting Yost to threaten legal action within the next 45 days in notice of violations letters.
“This duly enacted law protects young, impressionable children from the harms of adult-only material found online,” Yost said in a statement. “It’s time for these companies to explain why they think they’re above the law.”
The law, which took effect Sept. 30, requires websites that have content that is obscene or harmful to juveniles to implement “reasonable” age-verification measures.
A site must confirm a user is at least 18 years old by reviewing a government-issued photo identification card or mortgage, education or job records.
Yost said only one of the top 20 sites his office reviewed is following the law.
“If one company can comply, then all can comply,” Yost said.
Yost said many of the sites only ask users to click a button that says they are at least 18, which does not meet the requirements.
“Intentional noncompliance places minors at risk,” the letters say. “We urge you to take immediate corrective action.”
The law became a reality after several attempts to pass similar legislation failed in recent years.
Similar legislation is in the General Assembly that would require parents’ permission before children and teens can add social media apps to their phones or computers.
Those bills would force social media companies to verify a user’s age and get parental consent before someone less than 16 could download an app.
In January 2024, a law that required social media operators and sites that sell things or provide a service to children to get parental consent before establishing accounts for children under 16 was supposed to take effect.
NetChoice, a trade group representing apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, sued to stop the law and won an injunction that continues to stand as court battles are ongoing.
Chief U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio Algenon Marbley said in the ruling establishing the injunction that the law would bring financial harm to social media companies for compliance, noting those companies would face significant costs.
