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A Republican senator has introduced legislation that could effectively criminalize all pornography nationwide, drawing parallels to the policy goals outlined in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025.
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently unveiled the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA), a bill that seeks to redefine “obscenity” in a way that encompasses virtually all visual depictions of sex. This move would dramatically expand the legal definition of obscenity, a category that has been narrowly defined and afforded little First Amendment protection.
The bill text defines criminal content as any “picture, image, graphic image file, film, videotape, or other visual depiction” that “appeals to the prurient interest in nudity, sex, or excretion.” Critics argue that this broad definition could potentially criminalize a wide range of media.
According to The Daily Caller, the law aims to “pave the way for the prosecution of obscene content disseminated across state lines or from foreign countries and open the door to federal restrictions or bans regarding online porn.”
In a press release, Senator Lee stated, “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. Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted.”
This initiative aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which advocates for the criminalization of pornography, defining it as the “omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children.” The project calls for the imprisonment of those who produce and distribute it and the shutting down of telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread.
The anti-pornography movement has a long and complex history in the U.S., with various ideological justifications. In recent years, the MAGA right has largely spearheaded this movement, focusing on the potential psychological impacts of pornography on young people and advocating for age-verification requirements for porn websites.
Over the past decade, numerous states have passed legislation aimed at curbing youth access to porn, though many of these laws are facing legal challenges.
Tags: Mike Lee, Pornhub, Pornography, Project 2025, Legislation, First Amendment