Montana’s Online Age Verification Law Survives Free Speech Suit

A coalition of educators, writers, and sex-related businesses lost their challenge to Montana’s age verification law for websites that “knowingly and intentionally” distribute “material harmful to minors” following a federal court ruling.

The Free Speech Coalition and others lacked standing to bring the suit after Montana amended the law to remove the state attorney general’s authority to pursue an enforcement actions, Judge Donald W. Molloy said for the US District Court for the District of Montana. The law still allows private individuals to pursue damages suits.

Molloy compared the law to Texas’ abortion ban, which allows private suits to enforce ...