Sen. Mike Lee introduced the legislation in response to rampant internet pornography.
The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) would also open the door for the prosecution of pornography by prohibiting the transmission of obscene content across state lines.
In a statement Lee said, “Obscenity isn’t protected by the First Amendment, but hazy and unenforceable legal definitions have allowed extreme pornography to saturate American society and reach countless children. Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted.”
The bill would also remove the “intent” requirement that only outlaws the transmission of obscenity for the purposes of abusing, threatening or harassing a person.
Lee, a Republican representing Utah, has attempted to introduce this bill twice before, first in 2022 and again in 2024, but the bill died in the Democrat-controlled Senate after failing to garner any co-sponsors.
A companion to the current bill is being sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Mary Miller who said the law “equips law enforcement with the tools they need to target and remove obscene material from the internet.”