SLC Times

Senator Mike Lee has introduced the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act to the 119th Congress, aiming to protect minors from online pornography. The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators John Curtis and Jim Banks, with Representative Mary Miller leading a companion bill in the House of Representatives.

"It is time for our laws to catch up with technology," said Senator Mike Lee. "The SCREEN Act addresses the urgent need to protect minors from exposure to online pornography and stop those who profit from stealing the innocence of America's youth."

Representative Mary Miller expressed her support: "As a mother of seven and grandmother to 20, I am committed to defending parental rights. I am proud to join Senator Mike Lee in introducing the SCREEN Act to the House, providing parents with more control over their children's online access and protecting our kids from exposure to pornography. I urge my colleagues in the House to act swiftly in adopting the SCREEN Act to protect American children."

Senator Curtis added, "Like any parent in Utah, I'm deeply concerned that children remain vulnerable to explicit content online, as well as the psychological and societal harm it brings. Our bill ensures that online platforms take responsibility by leveraging modern technology to verify users' ages and prevent minors from accessing explicit material—all while upholding personal freedoms."

"Internet pornography has infected our culture and corroded the vulnerable minds of America’s kids, with the average age of initial exposure being 12 years old. That’s appalling," stated Senator Banks. "The accessibility of commercial pornography calls for commonsense guardrails to protect our children. Indiana passed an age verification bill last year, paving the way for the rest of the nation. Our bill combats—with federal legislation—the forces attempting to poison young minds."

Previous legislative efforts by Congress over three decades have been challenged or overturned by the Supreme Court due to not meeting certain legal standards; however, technological advancements highlight traditional methods like blocking software are inadequate, leaving 80% of teenagers exposed.

The SCREEN Act mandates commercial pornographic websites implement robust age verification technologies as a solution aligned with technological progress and government duty.

The bill is supported by organizations including National Center on Sexual Exploitation, National Decency Coalition, Heritage Action, Ethics and Public Policy Center among others.