Plain Language Summary
# SCREEN Act Summary **What the Bill Would Do** The SCREEN Act would require websites and online services that host adult content (including pornography and sexually explicit material) to implement age-verification technology to prevent minors from accessing this content. If passed, these platforms would need to verify users' ages before allowing access to harmful material, publish information about how their verification process works, and block access attempts from VPN services that might be used to bypass age checks. **Who It Affects** The bill primarily targets commercial websites and social media platforms that host adult content. It would directly affect these companies by imposing new compliance requirements and technology costs.
Indirectly, it affects internet users (both adults and minors) by changing how certain websites operate and what verification information they may need to collect. **Current Status & Key Considerations** The bill is currently in committee and has not been voted on. Supporters argue it protects children from harmful content, while critics have raised concerns about privacy (requiring age verification could mean sharing personal information), technical feasibility, and potential impacts on free speech. The bill would apply only to services offering content harmful to minors within the United States.
CRS Official Summary
Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act or the SCREEN ActThis bill establishes age-verification requirements for commercial interactive computer services (e.g., websites) that make available content that is harmful to minors (e.g., content that appeals to the prurient interest in nudity or sex, is obscene, or is child pornography).Specifically, the bill requires such services to adopt and utilize technology verification measures to ensure that (1) users of the service are not minors, and (2) minors are prevented from accessing any content on the service that is harmful to minors.Additionally, such services must (1) use the technology to verify a user's age; (2) publish the verification process that the service uses; and (3) subject users' Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, including known virtual proxy network (VPN) IP addresses, to the technology verification measures, unless the service determines a user is not located within the United States.Covered services also must implement data security measures to protect information about individuals collected through the verification process.The Federal Trade Commission must conduct regular audits of such services, issue guidance, and otherwise enforce the requirements of this bill.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.