PHOENIX — Pornography websites must now verify the age of users in Arizona after Gov. Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2112 into law on Tuesday. The new measure is intended to restrict minors from accessing explicit content online and hold adult sites accountable for failing to protect children.
The law applies to any website where more than one-third of the content is pornographic. It requires those sites to implement “reasonable” age verification methods to ensure users are 18 or older — but those methods cannot store or transmit personal identifying information.
“Arizona families have had enough,” said Republican Rep. Nick Kupper, who sponsored the bill. “Hardcore pornography has been just one click away from kids for too long, and the companies behind it have looked the other way while cashing in.”
The law also allows parents to pursue civil action if their child accesses adult content on a site that fails to verify age. Civil penalties for violations could reach up to $250,000.
Verification methods could include digital ID systems or other secure commercial tools, as long as they respect users’ privacy.
Arizona joins a growing number of states taking similar steps, though several have faced legal challenges on First Amendment grounds.
