California Republicans, Democrats Team Up to Advance Age Verification for Porn

California Republicans, Democrats Team Up to Advance Age Verification for Porn

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Both Republicans and Democrats in the California Assembly’s Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee voted last week to move forward a version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

As the Sacramento Bee explained on Tuesday, members of both parties “sided with conservative religious organizations against LGBTQ, reproductive health and civil liberty advocacy groups and voted unanimously in favor of AB 3080, a bill by Assemblyman Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) that would require pornographic websites ‘to take reasonable steps to ensure’ that only adults are looking at them.”

The state capital’s paper of record also noted that AB 3080 is backed by Exodus Cry, the California Catholic Conference, California Family Council, Concerned Women for America, Family Policy Alliance, the Pacific Justice Institute Center for Public Policy and other conservative groups, both religious and secular.

As XBIZ reported, Free Speech Coalition (FSC) Executive Director Alison Boden testified last week against AB 3080, describing it as “a terribly flawed bill that never should have advanced out of committee, especially not one focused on consumer privacy.”

FSC was also mentioned by the Sacramento Bee as one of the groups urging California legislators to reject the bill, a roster which also includes Advocates for Youth, Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement and Research, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), GLSEN, National Abortion Federation, Netchoice and Reproaction.

“Age verification laws don’t just impact young people,” EFF warned through a statement. “It’s necessary to confirm the ages of all website visitors. It is a significant privacy violation to require all people to submit either their official government-issued identification credentials, or to delve into their transactional history — including ‘bank account information’ — to attempt to determine their age, particularly if that person is an adult for whom there are no restrictions to view such material.”

If AB 3080 becomes law, the Sacramento Bee’s Andrew Sheeler wrote, California “would join a host of red states, including Texas, in requiring online age verification for porn. When Texas passed its version of the law, online porn giant Pornhub announced that it would no longer accept web traffic from that state. Could that happen in California next?”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2026 XBIZ Exec Awards Nominees for Online Industry Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the nominees for the online industry edition of the 2026 XBIZ Exec Awards, set to be presented as part of the annual XBIZ Honors ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 14 in conjunction with the XBIZ 2026 digital media conference.

AEBN Publishes Report on POV Trends

AEBN has published a report on POV and gonzo categories from its straight and gay theaters.

Joybear Pictures to Launch 'I Really Love' Studio Imprint

Joybear Pictures has announced that its new studio imprint, I Really Love, will launch in January.

Pineapple Support to Host 'Life Transitions' Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group on navigating transitional and liminal spaces.

CamSoda Launches 'Trick or Tease' AI Companions

CamSoda has launched its Halloween-themed Trick or Tease AI companions.

Russian Lawmakers Call for Age Verification

Two Russian lawmakers have called on the country’s government to implement age verification for adult content.

British Documentary Spotlights XBIZ Amsterdam With Candid Conversations

British creator and host Josh Pieters traveled to XBIZ Amsterdam to film a documentary about the annual European adult industry conference.

XBIZ 2026 to Debut 'New Talent Go-See' Special Event

XBIZ 2026, North America’s premier adult industry conference, will debut a special event designed to help new talent jump-start their careers: the New Talent Go-See.

Penthouse Announces Digital Archive Launch

Penthouse Magazine has announced that it will launch a comprehensive digital archive in 2026.

Dreamcam Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Dreamcam has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Show More