Missouri HB 1839

MO HB 1839 would turn Missouri’s existing age verification regulation into a law with harsher penalties and a requirement to display false “health warnings” on adult sites.

The increased penalties include a fine of up to $250k if a minor is able to access “material harmful to minors.”

Sites would be required to display the following false information on its website and all advertisements for the website “in a fourteen-point font or larger”:

"Pornography is potentially biologically addictive, is proven to harm human brain development, desensitizes brain reward circuits, increases conditioned responses, and weakens brain function.

Exposure to this content is associated with low self-esteem and body image, eating disorders, impaired brain development, and other emotional and mental illnesses.

Pornography increases the demand for prostitution, child exploitation, and child pornography."

Sites would also be required to display this notice on the bottom of every page in the same font size:

"U.S. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

THIS HELPLINE IS A FREE, CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION SERVICE (IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH) OPEN 24 HOURS PER DAY, FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY MEMBERS FACING MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE SERVICE PROVIDES REFERRAL TO LOCAL TREATMENT FACILITIES, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS."

For some reason, the phone number for the actual helpline is not required to be included.