Colorado laws restrict youth access to gambling, pornographic magazines, cigarettes and chewing tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, and firearms, but not to pornographic websites.
This week, lawmakers began the process of remedying that oversight. A bill to restrict pornographic websites to only those over the age of 18 passed by a bipartisan 8 to 1 vote in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Senate Bill 201 would require such websites to verify each potential user’s age by employing commercially available, independently certified technology highly effective in establishing that an individual is not a child.
The law is necessary because too many children and teens are viewing online pornography. One survey conducted in 2022 by CommonSense Media found 73% of teens had been exposed to pornography on purpose or accidentally. The average age of first online exposure was 12 years of age and over half of respondents reported having watched pornography showing rape, choking, or pain.
Pornography isn’t good for anyone, but for children and teens it risks significant psychological harm. When exposed to porn, young people face “increased rates of depression, anxiety, acting out and violent behavior, younger age of sexual debut, sexual promiscuity, increased risk of teen pregnancy, and a distorted view of relationships between men and women,” according to the American College of Pediatricians. Teens who use porn are also more likely to use drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, suffer low body image, and have a hard time interacting socially.
Those who have been exposed to porn at a young age are also more likely to pose a risk to others. Elizabeth Newman, the public policy director for the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, shared with lawmakers that “There is a direct and significant link between early exposure to pornography and that individual causing sexual harm to others. Given these risks, it is reasonable to require websites that host pornographic material to take steps to prevent children from accessing it.”
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The Free Speech Coalition, a trade group for the porn industry — yes, there is such a thing — contends the definition is too broad and could characterize non-porn adult content such as R-rated movies and artistic nudes. The high court is expected to rule in spring.
In the meantime, there is no reason the General Assembly shouldn’t pass Senate Bill 201. Afterall, gambling websites require age verification and porn has a more pernicious impact on the growing mind than gambling. The law would not stop adults from accessing pornography, but given its negative impact, perhaps it should give adults pause.
Krista L. Kafer is a weekly Denver Post columnist. Follow her on Twitter: @kristakafer.
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