Indiana Av Cease
Indiana AG Issues Cease and Desist Letters to Adult Sites Over Age Verification
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has sent multiple cease and desist letters to adult websites, alleging noncompliance with the state’s age verification law. The letters were issued on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a legal challenge to Texas’ age verification law, marking a significant escalation in state-level enforcement efforts.
Enforcement Action Against Adult Websites
According to industry sources, Rokita sent at least a dozen letters to various adult sites. XBIZ obtained a copy of one such letter from an anonymous site owner, who shared it on the advice of legal counsel.
The letter states that on December 31, 2024, an investigator from the Indiana Attorney General’s Office accessed the site and found it lacked any form of age verification to prevent minors from viewing adult content.
“The Office of the Indiana Attorney General demands that [redacted] acknowledge this Cease and Desist Notice within 14 days of receipt to confirm that reasonable age verification has been implemented in accordance with Indiana law,” the letter states.
It also warns of potential penalties for noncompliance, including civil fines of up to $250,000, as well as covering the cost of investigation and enforcement actions.
Legal Implications and Industry Response
Adult industry attorney and First Amendment expert Corey D. Silverstein, who represents several clients who received these letters, cautioned that compliance alone does not guarantee protection from future litigation.
“This is a serious development, and recipients should seek immediate legal counsel,” Silverstein advised. “Even if a site starts complying with the law today, it could still be held liable for past violations.”
Silverstein also pointed out that Indiana’s age verification law is currently being challenged by the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and has already reached the circuit court of appeals. A U.S. district court judge recently paused FSC’s lawsuit over the Indiana law, awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling in the FSC-led challenge to Texas’ age verification requirements.
Timing and Potential Motivations
Silverstein suggested that Rokita may have deliberately chosen to send these letters while the Supreme Court was deliberating the Texas case to “intimidate website operators and cause angst.”
“I find it quite unprofessional and almost childlike behavior on the attorney general’s part,” he added.
The outcome of ongoing legal battles at both the state and federal levels will be crucial in determining how age verification laws are enforced across the country. For now, website operators targeted by the Indiana AG’s actions face significant legal uncertainty and must carefully consider their next steps in consultation with legal counsel.
