Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, a bill that would expand the federal definition of “obscenity” to include nearly all pornography and remove the legal requirement that it be distributed with intent to harm. If passed, the bill could make producing, distributing, or consuming pornographic content a federal crime.
Lee and co-sponsor Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) argue the legislation is necessary to protect children and limit access to “extreme pornography” online. The bill would criminalize content that appeals to “excessive interest in nudity or sex,” depicts sexual acts, and “lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”
Critics argue the proposal violates First Amendment protections. Legal scholars note the difficulty in defining “obscenity” and warn the bill could pave the way for broader speech restrictions. Adult industry lawyers say it amounts to a full porn ban.
The bill echoes proposals in the Trump-aligned Project 2025, a conservative blueprint that calls for outlawing pornography and prosecuting its creators.
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