Since 2022, online age verification (AV) laws have been introduced in 27 U.S. states with the declared goal of protecting minors from written or visual sexual material that may be legally defined as “harmful to minors.” AV laws require websites with such content exceeding a given threshold to verify the age of adults before granting them access. While the goal of making the internet safer for minors is important, AV laws are notoriously inconsistent and confusing.
On Sep. 1, 2026, the National Coalition Against Censorship announced a new resource as part of Don’t Delete Art, its initiative supporting artistic freedom online. The resource, titled Online Age Verification: An Advisory for Artists with Websites, provides a primer on the swath of new age verification laws in the United States, and their potential impact on artists who host their own websites.
