Ohio House Passes Innocence Act to Require Age Verification for Online Adult Content

COLUMBUS, OHIO — The Ohio House of Representatives signaled a significant shift this week in how the state regulates digital content with the passage of House Bill 84. Known as the Innocence Act, the legislation targets online entities that distribute material deemed obscene or harmful to minors. State Reps. Steve Demetriou of Bainbridge Township and Josh Williams of Sylvania Township sponsored the bill to address what they describe as a lack of accountability for adult content platforms operating within the state. Under the proposed law, any company that furnishes or disseminates obscene material would be required to perform a geolocation check on all users to determine whether they are accessing the site from Ohio. Once a user is identified as being within the state, the platform must implement a formal age verification process. According to Demetriou, many families feel big tech companies have operated as if the rules do not apply to them. He said the bill is intended to show that children and victims matter more than corporate interests. The legislation does not just focus on standard pornography. It also takes a direct stand against the rising trend of deepfake technology. House Bill 84 establishes criminal penalties for those who create or distribute sexual imagery using a person's likeness without that person's consent. This provision allows prosecutors to charge individuals who use artificial intelligence or digital editing to superimpose someone's face onto sexually explicit content. Williams noted that despite previous efforts within the state budget, many websites continue to distribute obscene material to minors without checking their ages. Enforcement of the act falls on the Ohio attorney general. If the bill becomes law, companies must submit an affidavit to the attorney general's office confirming they are in compliance with the new rules. The attorney general would then have the power to investigate any reasonable allegations of violations. The financial stakes for noncompliance are high, as the state could pursue civil penalties reaching $100,000 for every day a company fails to comply with the verification requirements. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for further debate and a potential vote. If it clears the Senate and receives a signature from Gov. Mike DeWine, it will join a growing list of state-level efforts across the country to regulate how adult content is accessed on the internet. The legislation currently awaits assignment to a Senate committee for its first round of testimony. -------------------- At Cleveland 13 News, we strive to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable reporting. If you spot an error, omission, or have information that may need updating, please email us at tips@cleveland13news.com. As a community-driven news network, we appreciate the help of our readers in ensuring the integrity of our reporting.