Attitudes Toward Age-Verification among U.S. Adults, Adolescents, and Parents.

Abstract

The Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments challenging a state law requiring pornographic websites to formally verify the age of site visitors. Prior studies have examined public opinion toward pornography regulation in the United States, but we are aware of no study that has assessed attitudes toward-age verification akin to the kind to be considered by The Supreme Court. This Letter reports data on age-verification attitudes and correlates among U.S. adults, parents, and adolescents. Results suggested that all three groups are more likely to support age-verification than to oppose it. Nonetheless, there was also substantial attitudinal variability in all three groups. Possible explanations for these differences are proposed and the need for extensive follow up studies is emphasized.