2 new laws aim to limit children’s access to online porn
Published 10:30 am Wednesday, April 19, 2023
- METRO IMAGE / Child on computer
Gov. Tate Reeves has signed two bills intended to limit children’s access to sexually explicit material online.
Senate Bill 2346 will require companies that publish pornographic material to have systems to verify users are at least 18 years old. This was based on a similar law in Louisiana.
House Bill 1315 will require technology vendors for K-12 schools to bloc access to online resources or databases with child pornography or child sexual exploitation.
Lincoln County legislators Rep. Becky Currie (R), Rep. Vince Mangold (R) and Sen. Jason Barrett (R), all voted in support of the bills.
“With the rise of technology and social media, it has never been easier for children to access pornographic materials,” Reeves said in a statement. “That can have really disastrous effects on children’s long-term mental health and development.”
Both bills will become law July 1.