Judge Blocks New Law Requiring Identification of Porn Sites in Indiana – 95.3 MNC

A southern Indiana judge has halted the take effect of a new July 1 law blocking Indiana residents from accessing adult sites like PornHub, citing a possible First Amendment violation.

Gov. Eric Holcomb signed Senate Bill 17 into law, requiring individuals to submit sensitive documents such as a driver’s license to verify their age before accessing websites containing “material harmful to minors.”

Supporters wanted to protect minors from explicit content, but critics said it violated the First Amendment and threatened private information. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita praised it as a safeguard for children, while the Free Speech Coalition sued to stop it.

The judge noted that “the statute imposes burdens on adults accessing constitutionally protected content, even if the majority of the content on the website contains perfectly acceptable and constitutionally protected material.”

The order, issued by District Court Judge Richard Young, will remain in effect until a final decision is made or it is overturned by a higher court.