The Washington State House of Representatives has held a public hearing on House Bill 2112, known as the Keep Our Children Safe Act, which aims to restrict minors' access to online sexual material. Introduced by Rep. Mari Leavitt, the bill would require websites with significant harmful content for minors to verify users' ages using government-issued IDs. Critics have raised concerns about privacy and vague definitions in the legislation.
Washington state is following a trend seen in other parts of the US by considering stricter controls on access to pornographic websites. On a recent date, the House of Representatives conducted a public hearing for House Bill 2112, sponsored by Rep. Mari Leavitt. This measure, dubbed the Keep Our Children Safe Act, targets "online sexual material harmful" to those under 18, mandating age verification processes such as digital IDs or systems requiring government-issued identification.
Under the proposed rules, sites where more than one-third of the content qualifies as harmful to minors would face enforcement from the state attorney general, including substantial civil penalties for non-compliance. This approach mirrors Texas's age verification law, which took effect in September 2023 and received backing from the US Supreme Court.
During the hearing, opposition emerged from various organizations. As covered by The Seattle Times, the ACLU, Lavender Rights Project, and Northwest Progressive Institute highlighted potential privacy vulnerabilities, such as risks of data breaches, alongside issues with the bill's broad phrasing of "sexual material harmful to minors." These groups argued that such requirements could chill free expression and expose users to unnecessary personal data collection.
The bill's progression reflects ongoing national debates over balancing child protection with adult privacy rights. While supporters emphasize safeguarding youth from explicit content, detractors warn of implementation challenges and overreach into personal freedoms. The hearing marks an early step, with further committee review anticipated.
