(KIWA Staff Photo)
Statewide Iowa (RI) — Websites and smartphone apps where at least a third of the content is considered pornographic will soon be required to screen the age of Iowa users — and block access to anyone under the age of 18.
Starting Wednesday, July 1st, Iowa becomes the 26th state with an age-verification requirement for adult sites.
During House debate this spring, Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull said the world’s most-visited porn site, Pornhub, has already stopped operating in nearly all states with similar restrictions.
In late April, Senator Kevin Alons of Salix said Iowa’s new restrictions are modeled after a Texas law upheld last year by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senator Sandy Salmon of Janesville told colleagues she’s been working on this type of legislation since 2020.
She says the age-verification law creates a speed bump that will shield minors’ exposure to pornography.
