A Radical Proposal to Outlaw Pornography Tests the Boundaries of Free Choice
Rep. Josh Schriver (Republican) has introduced a sweeping bill to ban all pornography in his state. Some states have recently required age verification to view pornography, but this is a proposal for A TOTAL BAN.
✖️ This proposal is unprecedented. No U.S. state has ever attempted a full ban. Schriver’s bill would even outlaw content that is purely textual or audio-based. ✖️
The last comparable push was the radical Antipornography Civil Rights Ordinances of the 1980s, championed by Andrea Dworkin and Catharine MacKinnon, which framed porn as a civil rights violation against women.
But keep in mind: Schriver is a first-term, little-known legislator. He proposed this in Michigan, and with Democrats controlling Michigan’s legislature, the bill has virtually zero chance of passing. More likely, it’s a bid for headlines and, uh, it worked.
People online are already debating what this move means.
Many argue that banning porn outright is futile. Technology makes enforcement nearly impossible—VPNs, external hard drives, and peer-to-peer sharing mean that content will always find its way to users.
Others raise the historical point that prohibition doesn’t end demand. Instead, it drives it underground, just as alcohol bans and drug bans have shown in the past.
Some highlight the economic contradiction. Pornography is a massive industry generating billions of dollars and significant tax revenue. Outlawing it could backfire financially for any state attempting such a ban.
Civil liberties are another major theme. Critics frame the proposal as government overreach into private adult choices, a contradiction to the idea of personal freedom.
At the same time, some voices welcome the attempt, pointing to the social harms of porn. They argue it damages relationships, creates unrealistic expectations, and fosters addiction that society has not taken seriously enough.
But whatever the case, the proposal seems to be just hot air from a young elected official with little power trying to brew controversy.
