8 hours ago
Last Updated:May 16, 2025, 19:30 IST
According to the bill, content is considered obscene if it appeals to prurient interests, depicts sexual acts, and lacks literary, artistic, or scientific value.
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah has introduced a new bill aimed at criminalising pornography. (Representational Image)
Republican Senator Mike Lee has introduced a new bill in a bid to criminalise online pornography, warning against the harmful impact of porn on American society.
The Utah senator along with Illinois Representative Mary Miller introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) Bill, which seeks to redefine “obscenity" for the digital era. This is Lee’s third attempt to pass the bill since 2022.
What’s In The Bill?
According to the bill, content is considered obscene if it appeals to prurient interests, depicts sexual acts, and lacks literary, artistic, or scientific value.
It aims to limit content that depicts, describes, or represents actual or simulated sexual acts intended to arouse, titillate, or gratify a person’s sexual desires.
The act would also remove “the ‘intent’ requirement that only prohibits the transmission of obscenity for the purposes of abusing, threatening or harassing a person," according to a release from Lee’s office.
Lee emphasised the need for updated legislation, saying, “Obscenity isn’t protected by the First Amendment, but hazy and unenforceable legal definitions have allowed extreme pornography to saturate American society and reach countless children."
He added, “Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted."
Senator Miller added that they take it as their responsibility to safeguard American families. “Safeguard American families and ensure this dangerous material is kept out of our homes and off our screens", Miller said.
The bill aims to widen the scope of obscenity defined by Supreme Court cases Jacobellis vs Ohio and Miller vs California, which helped shape the current American definition of the word.
The bill aims to stop the production and dissemination of pornographic material and empower prosecutors to act against it. If passed, IODA would make it illegal to transmit obscene content across state lines, making it easier to prosecute offenders.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world PornHub And Other Adult Content Sites To Be Banned In US? New Bill Says…
