Hello Reader,

I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.

👍 First the good news! More than 25 states, including Texas, have passed laws requiring pornography websites to verify a user’s age before allowing access. This is good news! (See our summary article for all the details.) These measures are designed to protect children and send a clear signal to the porn industry.

However, we don’t want parents to let their guard down.

While age verification adds friction—making it harder for a child to casually click onto a major porn site—it is far from foolproof.

👎 Now for the not so good news.

Many large adult sites have simply blocked access in states with strict laws rather than use ID systems (that they already use themselves…hmmmm). When that happens, kids can get around the block by:

• Using VPNs to make it look like they’re in another state or country.
  ​
• Finding alternative sites that don’t bother with age verification at all.
  ​
• Accessing porn through social media apps, messaging platforms, or pirated sites.

This means that while the laws are sending a clear message to the porn industry, they are not a lock on the door. If your child is determined, there are still plenty of pathways to explicit material.

Really bad news. ☹️

So, what should parents do? Think of age verification laws as a speed bump, not a complete barrier. To build real protection, combine multiple strategies:

• Delay smartphones designed for adults until age 16. For younger kids, use a phone designed for kid safety or a kitchen counter family phone that is used for texting about social events or taken occasionally out of the home, with permission.
  ​
• If your older teen has use of a smartphone, set up parental controls and use at least 3 protective safeguards per device. For example, one parent uses: 1) parental controls and privacy restrictions, 2) the Canopy app* (see below for 30 days FREE), 3) DNS Override app with FamilyShield filter.
  ​
• Don’t allow your kids to install apps known to share explicit content (such as Discord, Reddit, X/Twitter, and Telegram).
  ​
• Use home network filters (like Bark Home) that apply across browsers and apps.

Build an internal filter by continuing conversations about pornography—what it is, why it’s harmful, and how to respond when they encounter it.

The bottom line: Age verification is a huge legal win! But don’t assume your child is safe just because you live in a state with age verification laws.

Keep informed, arm your kids, and continue the conversation!

Warmly,

Kristen

P.S. 30 free days of Canopy! No filter is perfect, and no tech can replace your guidance and your child's internal filter—but Canopy is a powerful layer of defense to keep kids safer online. It’s the only filter that scans images and videos in real time, blocking explicit content before your child ever sees it.

You can get 30 days of Canopy for FREE—just use code DYM30DAYS at checkout! Click here to learn more and start your free trial.

*Important note: Canopy is designed to filter sites in a web browser, not apps. However, you can use Canopy to block apps and direct your child to use the browser version instead—where Canopy can do its thing. Use code DYM30DAYS when registering at Canopy.us, not in an app store.