A new Indiana law mandating stricter age verification for websites featuring adult content has gone into effect following a recent decision by a federal appeals court. The law, known as Senate Enrolled Act 17 (SEA 17), requires websites where at least one-third of the content is deemed harmful to minors to verify users’ ages. Verification can be done using a mobile driver’s license, a government-issued ID, or a third-party age verification service.
Previously, a federal judge had put the law on hold in June, ruling that it likely infringed on First Amendment rights. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has now lifted that injunction, allowing the law to be enforced while a related case is reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The decision to allow SEA 17 to take effect comes as a similar law in Texas was recently upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. That case is also pending before the Supreme Court, which will ultimately determine the broader legal implications for such age verification requirements.
The Seventh Circuit’s ruling puts Indiana’s case on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision on the Texas law. As a result, the injunction that had prevented the enforcement of SEA 17 has been stayed, and the law is now active.
For more details on Senate Enrolled Act 17, you can view the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/17/details.
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