Bill > SB1346

This bill creates new legal requirements for websites that publish sexual material harmful to minors, mandating robust age verification methods to prevent underage access. Specifically, commercial entities that publish content where more than one-third is deemed sexually explicit must implement age verification techniques like using government-issued identification or reliable transactional data to confirm users are at least 18 years old. The bill requires websites to prominently display warnings about potential psychological risks of pornography, including impacts on brain development and potential links to addiction and mental health issues. Additionally, the bill prohibits age verification systems from retaining personal identifying information and requires websites to display a substance abuse helpline number. The Attorney General is empowered to enforce these provisions, with potential civil penalties of $10,000 per day for violations, plus up to $250,000 if minors are found to have accessed such content. Notably, the bill includes exceptions for news organizations and does not hold internet service providers responsible for content they merely transmit. The legislation aims to protect minors from accessing sexually explicit online content by creating significant legal and financial deterrents for non-compliant websites.

Justice

https://www.senate.mo.gov/26info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=588