Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defended House Bill 1181 at the U.S. Supreme Court, which requires online pornography sites to verify users' ages to protect children from harmful content. The law was challenged by pornography distributors, but Texas won at the Fifth Circuit and is now defending its constitutionality. Texas has also sued Aylo Global Entertainment for non-compliance, leading to Pornhub's shutdown in Texas.
No specific remedies imposed yet; the case is pending before the Supreme Court. The law mandates age-verification measures for pornography websites, with enforcement through lawsuits for non-compliance.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with online platforms hosting adult content and customer terms of service for such services. Key clauses to examine include compliance with state-specific age verification laws (e.g., HB 1181), data privacy provisions regarding user age information, indemnification terms related to regulatory violations, and audit rights to ensure adherence. Necessary changes may involve adding explicit HB 1181 compliance requirements, updating privacy policies to address age data collection and storage, implementing mandatory age verification mechanisms in user agreements, and including provisions for cooperation with state audits.
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Aylo Global Entertainment
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Media & EntertainmentThe Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring pornography websites to implement age-verification measures to protect children from explicit content. Attorney General Ken Paxton is enforcing the law with fines for violations and has sued Aylo Global Entertainment for non-compliance.
$7.5M
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a $7.5 million settlement with Tris Pharmaceuticals over alleged misrepresentations about the efficacy of Dyanavel XR, an ADHD drug marketed for children. The release says the company overstated the drug’s efficacy and directed sales representatives to make misleading claims to doctors, including Medicaid providers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an agreement with Plum Organics requiring stronger testing and limits for heavy metals in covered baby food products, along with publicly accessible testing results. The release does not state a monetary penalty; the agreement follows an ongoing investigation into baby food manufacturers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened an investigation into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, its parent Health Care Service Corporation, and related entities over alleged denials or delays of urgent and medically necessary care and potentially burdensome prior authorization requirements. The investigation is ongoing; the Attorney General issued a Civil Investigative Demand to obtain information and assess potential violations of Texas law.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a consumer alert warning Texas businesses and nonprofits about a surge of demand letters alleging California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) violations based on common website technologies such as cookies, pixels, and analytics tools. The AG cautions that some letters may exaggerate or misrepresent violations and may be fraudulent, noting serial CIPA plaintiff Vivek Shah has been declared a vexatious litigant. Recipients are advised not to pay or respond directly, to consult privacy counsel, and to report suspected fraud to the Consumer Protection Division.
A Texas state district court (Judge Cory Liu) has found TikTok liable for lying to parents about the safety of its platform and for exposing children to inappropriate and explicit content, making Texas the first state in the nation to hold TikTok liable on these claims. The court found that although TikTok claimed it would remove graphic videos depicting drugs, nudity, alcohol, injuries, and profanity, such videos remained accessible to minors, even under 'Restricted Mode.' No penalty has been imposed yet; Attorney General Paxton will proceed to trial, expected next month, where relief and penalties will be determined.