Description: A group of activists represented by the American Civil Liberties Union is challenging a Texas law that protects minors from being exposed to explicit material online.
US Supreme Court allows Texas to protect children from pornography’s harms
Friday, Jun 27, 2025
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton to uphold a Texas law that protects minors from being exposed to explicit material online:
“As the internet becomes easier for minors to access, so too does explicit material. Research shows that young people exposed to pornography suffer from increased rates of depression, anxiety, violent behavior, sexual promiscuity and abuse, trafficking, and distorted views of relationships between men and women. Texas has every right to pass laws that protect children from these types of harms, and in no way do these laws violate anyone’s constitutionally protected freedom of speech. Our legal system recognizes that the government has a vested interest in regulating obscene material. We’re pleased the Supreme Court ruled to allow Texas to protect children from the harmful effects of pornography.”
ADF attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court in support of Texas’ law.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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