SALT LAKE CITY — Utah will begin enforcing mandatory age verification requirements for commercial adult websites on Monday, Nov. 2, as state regulators move to prevent minors from accessing sexually explicit material online.
The Utah Department of Commerce and its Division of Consumer Protection announced the enforcement plans Friday, warning that operators of adult websites that fail to verify users are at least 18 years old could face penalties.
The requirements apply statewide, including to websites accessed by residents of Cache Valley and other northern Utah communities.
The enforcement comes under Senate Bill 73, known as the Online Age Verification Amendments, which was passed by the Utah Legislature earlier this year.
State officials clarified that the age verification requirements remain enforceable despite a recent federal court ruling that temporarily blocked a separate provision of the law.
On Sept. 24, U.S. District Judge David Barlow issued a preliminary injunction against a provision requiring adult websites to account for users who conceal their physical locations through virtual private networks, or VPNs.
However, the ruling did not block the underlying requirement that commercial websites containing substantial amounts of sexually explicit material implement reasonable methods to verify users’ ages.
“Protecting our children from harmful content is not just a responsibility; it’s the law,” said state Sen. Calvin Musselman, who sponsored the legislation.
Under the law, commercial websites that knowingly distribute material considered harmful to minors must implement age verification measures to restrict access to adults.
The state has established specialized computer systems and auditing technology to identify websites that fail to comply with the requirements.
Investigators with the Division of Consumer Protection will be able to audit websites, document violations and initiate enforcement actions against operators that fail to implement adequate safeguards.
Violators could face fines of up to $2,500 per violation, according to the Department of Commerce.
“Ensuring the safety of our kids in the digital age is crucial. By enforcing age verification on adult websites, we are making a significant move to protect our youth from harmful content,” said Margaret Woolley Busse, head of the Utah Department of Commerce. “We will take action against any adult platform that fails to put up proper safeguards to keep children out. Utah will hold them accountable.”
State officials said commercial operators already have access to established age verification technology and are expected to comply with the requirements.
The law also prohibits websites and third-party verification services from retaining identifying information collected during the age verification process after access has been granted.
Utah officials said the preliminary injunction involving VPNs does not relieve adult website operators of their responsibility to verify the ages of users accessing sexually explicit material.
The Department of Commerce said enforcement actions will begin Monday against qualifying websites that fail to meet the state’s requirements.