Proposed Legislation Seeks to Tax and Restrict Online Pornography to Combat Human Trafficking

Legislation in Arizona and other states proposes a tax on online pornography, requiring devices to be equipped with filters that block adult content unless a fee is paid. A federal bill, known as the Human Trafficking Prevention Act, may also be introduced soon, mandating internet-connected devices to have porn-blocking software. Viewers seeking to bypass these filters would need to pay per device. Advocates claim this measure could reduce child exploitation, domestic violence, and human trafficking by reclassifying pornography as a public health issue rather than a moral concern, citing its potential mental, emotional, and reproductive harms.