A new bill introduced by Republican Senator Mike Lee and Representative Mary Miller could make all online pornography illegal in the U.S. if passed. Titled the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, the legislation aims to redefine and broaden the federal standard for obscenity, updating the decades-old “Miller Test” and eliminating what the sponsors call “vague, subjective” definitions.
The bill proposes that any content intended to “arouse, titillate, or gratify sexual desires” and lacking “serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value” could be prosecuted as obscene. If passed, this change would empower law enforcement to target and remove online adult content across all 50 states—effectively laying the groundwork for a national porn ban.
Critics warn that the bill’s broad language could have far-reaching consequences, potentially criminalizing not only commercial adult content but also sexting, cam work, and even suggestive texts between consenting adults. Supporters argue it’s necessary to stop what they call the “destructive saturation” of explicit material in American life, especially among minors.
Lee defended the bill by claiming the internet has outpaced existing obscenity laws. “Extreme pornography has reached countless children,” he said. “Our bill modernizes the definition so this content can be taken down, and its peddlers prosecuted.” The proposal is already facing fierce opposition from digital rights advocates who say it threatens free speech and privacy.
