The year when states prioritized surveillance over security: a look back at 2025.

2025 was the year when age verification transitioned from a niche experiment to a widespread reality in the United States. Currently, half of the U.S. states require age verification for access to adult content or social media platforms. Nine states implemented these laws this year, with more expected in 2026. The good news is that courts have blocked many of the laws aimed at implementing age verification on social media, primarily for the same reasons that EFF opposes these efforts. Age verification measures censor the internet and make it more difficult to access online expression. While age verification is often presented as an "online safety measure" for young people, these laws actually cause more harm than good. They undermine the fundamental freedom of expression for both adults and young people, create new barriers to internet access, and jeopardize the privacy, anonymity, and security of all internet users. If you feel overwhelmed by this wave of laws and the intrusive technologies behind them,

This content has been automatically translated using machine translation. The original version is available in the source language.

This content was automatically translated using machine translation. The original version is available in the source language.