CHATSWORTH, Calif.—Adult industry trade organization the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and a group of adult production entities filed a legal challenge Monday in Indiana over the state’s recently adopted age-verification law, SB17, arguing that it violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Indiana attorney general Todd Rokita is named as the defendant in the complaint.
SB17 empowers the state attorney general to file civil suits against platforms with adult content if they do not require visitors to upload a government ID and scan their face, or otherwise verify their age and identity. In addition to challenging the merits of the law, the Free Speech Coalition and its co-plaintiffs have requested an expedited preliminary injunction in the United States District Court Southern District of Indiana.
“We will continue to fight for the rights of adults to access the internet free of shame and surveillance,” FSC executive director Alison Boden saud. “While they may sound reasonable on their face, laws like SB17 have effectively functioned as state censorship. These laws have been a failure on every front, and we must take action to protect both the consumers and producers of expressive works from this harmful government overreach.”
Free Speech Coalition has challenged similar laws in Louisiana, Texas, Utah and Montana, and has filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court.
Joining Free Speech Coalition as co-plaintiffs are an array of adult platforms and content producers, including Aylo Premium LTD; Aylo Freesites LTD; Webgroup Czech Republic, A.S.; NKL Associates, SRO; Sonesta Technologies, S.R.O., Sonesta Media, S.R.O.; Paper Street Media, LLC; Neptune Media, LLC; Mediame, SRL; Midus Holdings, Inc.
SB17 is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2024.
Read the complaint (Free Speech Coalition et al. v Rokita) here.
Click the following links to read the Motion for Expedited Preliminary Injunction and a Supporting brief.
