WASHINGTON — Today, American Principles Project (APP) announced its endorsement of two Texas bills aimed at cracking down on children’s exposure to online pornography.

The first bill, HB3570, would require all websites, including social media platforms, with large amounts of sexual material to implement age verification technology to ensure only adults can access the sites. Earlier this year, Louisiana became the first state to enact a law requiring the implementation of age verification on pornography sites.

The second bill, HB3357, would extend civil liability to those who engage or promote “obscene behavior,” including online platforms that allow minors to access obscene content. Both bills were introduced by state Rep. Nate Schatzline.

APP has long been a proponent of requiring online porn sites to implement age verification to prevent kids from accessing sexual content. Additionally, swing-state polling from APP last year showed 77 percent of voters support such a measure, with strong majorities across the political spectrum.

APP President Terry Schilling released the following statement urging support for the Texas legislation:

“A child with a smartphone today has more access to pornography than was even imaginable two decades ago. And given the lack of regulation, it should be no surprise many kids are finding their way to this material. In fact, a study earlier this year found most children had been exposed to porn by age 12. This exploitation of vulnerable children by a predatory industry is unacceptable.

“Society needs to protect kids from sexualization, including online. We already have effective means of preventing children from accessing alcohol, tobacco, and gambling. It should not be difficult, or controversial, to add porn to that list.

“APP is glad to see Rep. Schatzline and other Texas legislators taking the lead on tackling this problem, and we are proud to stand with them. We enthusiastically endorse these bills and urge Texas lawmakers to prioritize their passage.”

To schedule an engagement with American Principles Project, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.