SACRAMENTO – Alison Boden, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition, testified against AB 3080, California’s version of age verification bills sponsored nationwide by anti-porn religious conservative activists.
AB 3080 was introduced in the California Assembly by Republican Modesto Assembly Member Juan Alanis, a former law enforcement agency, and was heard Tuesday in the Assembly’s Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection.
AB 3080 would require sites with more than one-third of “material harmful to minors” to scan government IDs or otherwise verify user identities.
The bill was originally drafted by the socially conservative Citizens for Renewing America and is supported by religious groups including the California Catholic Conference and California Baptists for Biblical Values.
Despite widespread opposition from groups like Electronic Frontier Foundation, Woodhull Action Fund, Netchoice and a slew of sexed-ed, LGBTQ+, reproductive rights advocates, a motion to take it out of committee passed and AB 3080 will move on from the Judiciary Committee heard.
Testifying before the committee, Boden explained the technological, constitutional and privacy-related issues inherent in online age verification.
“Nevertheless, supporters of the bill came forward, including the Age Verification Providers Association, Exodus Cry, and Concerned Women for America, all testifying on their behalf,” an FSC statement said.
Boden described AB 3080 as “a terribly flawed bill that should never have made it out of committee, especially one that focuses on consumer privacy.
“If we want to defeat these dangerous, unconstitutional bills, we will have to be there to ensure that all our voices are heard,” she added. “We have a strong base in this state and we need all Californians to contact their legislators to let them know about the problems with AB-3080.”
The FSC has one page for those who want to speak out against age verification in California.
For more information visit FreeSpeechCoalition.com.