United States of America: Free Speech Coalition submitted appeal to the Supreme Court in lawsuit challenging Bill 1181 restricting access to sexual material harmful to minors on an Internet Website (Free Speech Coalition v Texas) (No. 23-1122)

On 12 April 2024, the Free Speech Coalition filed a petition with the United States Supreme Court following a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Texas law HB 1181. The law applies to websites with a significant proportion of sexually explicit content deemed harmful to minors, primarily affecting the adult entertainment sector. It mandates that such websites implement age verification mechanisms before granting access. While the Fifth Circuit struck down related health warning provisions, it upheld the age verification requirement, citing the state’s legitimate interest in protecting minors.