{
  "batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
  "articles": [
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_existence",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: existence and effective date",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio has an age-verification statute for obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material on the internet, codified at Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10, enacted by House Bill 96 of the 136th General Assembly, effective September 30, 2025.",
      "body": "Ohio has an age-verification statute for obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material on the internet, codified at Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10, enacted by House Bill 96 of the 136th General Assembly, effective September 30, 2025.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“Effective: September 30, 2025 Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly”\n\nNote: This is the 'Ohio Innocence Act' adult-content age verification law. The statute is in force as of September 30, 2025.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.10",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "Effective: September 30, 2025 Legislation: House Bill 96 - 136th General Assembly",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "existence and effective date",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.content",
          "access.id"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_bound_entity",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: whom the statute binds",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute binds an 'organization' defined as a commercial establishment that has a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives significant or substantial revenue from, devotes significant or substantial content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material; an individual creator selling their own content through another platform is not expressly included or excluded by the statutory text.",
      "body": "The statute binds an 'organization' defined as a commercial establishment that has a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives significant or substantial revenue from, devotes significant or substantial content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material; an individual creator selling their own content through another platform is not expressly included or excluded by the statutory text.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(8) \"Organization\" means both of the following: (a) A commercial establishment that, for any form of consideration, has as a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives a significant or substantial portion of its revenues from, devotes a significant or substantial portion of its content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for the sale, rental, or viewing of materials that are obscene or harmful to juveniles; (b) A commercial establishment as defined in section 2907.38 of the Revised Code. An establishment may have other principal business purposes that do not involve selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and still be categorized as an organization subject to this section. The existence of other principal business purposes does not exempt an establishment from being categorized as an organization subject to this section, so long as one of its principal business purposes involves selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet.”\n\nNote: The definition focuses on commercial establishments with a principal business purpose involving obscene/harmful material. Whether an individual creator on a third-party platform (e.g., OnlyFans) falls within this definition is not resolved by the statute's text and would require regulatory or judicial interpretation.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.10",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(8) \"Organization\" means both of the following: (a) A commercial establishment that, for any form of consideration, has as a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives a significant or substantial portion of its revenues from, devotes a significant or substantial portion of its content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for the sale, rental, or viewing of materials that are obscene or harmful to juveniles; (b) A commercial establishment as defined in section 2907.38 of the Revised Code. An establishment may have other principal business purposes that do not involve selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and still be categorized as an organization subject to this section. The existence of other principal business purposes does not exempt an establishment from being categorized as an organization subject to this section, so long as one of its principal business purposes involves selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "whom the statute binds",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "access.signup",
          "rules.content"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_threshold",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: threshold triggering the duty",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The duty triggers when a commercial establishment has a 'significant or substantial portion' of its stock-in-trade, revenue, content, advertising, or display space devoted to obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material, or when one of its principal business purposes involves such material.",
      "body": "The duty triggers when a commercial establishment has a 'significant or substantial portion' of its stock-in-trade, revenue, content, advertising, or display space devoted to obscene or harmful-to-juveniles material, or when one of its principal business purposes involves such material.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(8) \"Organization\" means both of the following: (a) A commercial establishment that, for any form of consideration, has as a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives a significant or substantial portion of its revenues from, devotes a significant or substantial portion of its content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for the sale, rental, or viewing of materials that are obscene or harmful to juveniles; (b) A commercial establishment as defined in section 2907.38 of the Revised Code. An establishment may have other principal business purposes that do not involve selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and still be categorized as an organization subject to this section. The existence of other principal business purposes does not exempt an establishment from being categorized as an organization subject to this section, so long as one of its principal business purposes involves selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet.”\n\nNote: The threshold uses qualitative 'significant or substantial portion' language rather than a bright-line percentage or volume metric.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.10",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(8) \"Organization\" means both of the following: (a) A commercial establishment that, for any form of consideration, has as a significant or substantial portion of its stock-in-trade in, derives a significant or substantial portion of its revenues from, devotes a significant or substantial portion of its content or advertising to, or maintains a substantial section of its sales or online content display space for the sale, rental, or viewing of materials that are obscene or harmful to juveniles; (b) A commercial establishment as defined in section 2907.38 of the Revised Code. An establishment may have other principal business purposes that do not involve selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and still be categorized as an organization subject to this section. The existence of other principal business purposes does not exempt an establishment from being categorized as an organization subject to this section, so long as one of its principal business purposes involves selling, delivering, furnishing, disseminating, providing, exhibiting, or presenting any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "threshold triggering the duty",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.content"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_verification_methods",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: accepted verification methods",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute requires 'reasonable age verification methods' defined as: (a) verifying age through a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data; or (b) using third-party and governmental databases that use a commercial age verification system with photo identification or transactional data.",
      "body": "The statute requires 'reasonable age verification methods' defined as: (a) verifying age through a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data; or (b) using third-party and governmental databases that use a commercial age verification system with photo identification or transactional data.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(10) \"Reasonable age verification methods\" means the following: (a) Verifying that the person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles is eighteen years of age or older through the use of a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data to verify the person's age; (b) Using third-party and governmental databases that use a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data to verify the person's age.”\n\nNote: Transactional data includes mortgage, educational, and employment records per subsection (11). The statute also requires geofencing via a licensed location-based technology provider per subsection (B)(3).",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.10",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(10) \"Reasonable age verification methods\" means the following: (a) Verifying that the person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles is eighteen years of age or older through the use of a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data to verify the person's age; (b) Using third-party and governmental databases that use a commercial age verification system that uses photo identification or public or private transactional data to verify the person's age.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "accepted verification methods",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "setting_up",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "access.id"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_data_retention",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: retention and deletion of verification data",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Organizations must immediately delete all information gathered for age verification after verification is completed, except information needed for account/subscription access and billing; upon account holder request, that retained data must also be deleted; after two years, all account creation and billing data must be deleted unless the account is renewed; transferred verification data must be immediately deleted by the recipient after verification.",
      "body": "Organizations must immediately delete all information gathered for age verification after verification is completed, except information needed for account/subscription access and billing; upon account holder request, that retained data must also be deleted; after two years, all account creation and billing data must be deleted unless the account is renewed; transferred verification data must be immediately deleted by the recipient after verification.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(C)(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(b) of this section, an organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and verifies the age of the person creating an account or subscription to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet shall do the following: (i) Immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after the age verification is completed, except the information maintained for account and subscription access and for billing purposes; (ii) Upon the request of the account holder or subscriber, immediately delete the data maintained for user access to the account or subscription and for billing purposes; (iii) Develop and maintain a data privacy policy compliant with federal and state law and maintain data in a manner that is reasonably secure. (b) On the expiration of two years after the creation of the account or subscription, the organization shall immediately delete all information relative to the creation of the user's account or subscription and any information maintained for billing purposes, unless the account holder or subscriber renews the account or subscription. (2) An organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and verifies the age of the person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet shall do both of the following: (a) Immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after age verification is completed; (b) Develop and maintain a data privacy policy compliant with federal and state law and maintain data in a manner that is reasonably secure. (3) An organization described in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section shall immediately delete any identifying information, except the information required for the purpose of granting a person access to the account or subscription and for billing the account or subscription, that is used for age verification of the person attempting to access or creating an account or subscription to access any material or performance on the internet that is obscene or harmful to juveniles after age verification is completed. (4) An organization as described in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section shall not transfer any information collected, except for the purpose of age verification. Any party who receives transferred information for age verification purposes shall immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after age verification is completed.”\n\nNote: Strict data minimization and deletion requirements apply to both account-based and non-account-based access.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.10",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(C)(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(1)(b) of this section, an organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and verifies the age of the person creating an account or subscription to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet shall do the following: (i) Immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after the age verification is completed, except the information maintained for account and subscription access and for billing purposes; (ii) Upon the request of the account holder or subscriber, immediately delete the data maintained for user access to the account or subscription and for billing purposes; (iii) Develop and maintain a data privacy policy compliant with federal and state law and maintain data in a manner that is reasonably secure. (b) On the expiration of two years after the creation of the account or subscription, the organization shall immediately delete all information relative to the creation of the user's account or subscription and any information maintained for billing purposes, unless the account holder or subscriber renews the account or subscription. (2) An organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet and verifies the age of the person attempting to access the material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet shall do both of the following: (a) Immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after age verification is completed; (b) Develop and maintain a data privacy policy compliant with federal and state law and maintain data in a manner that is reasonably secure. (3) An organization described in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section shall immediately delete any identifying information, except the information required for the purpose of granting a person access to the account or subscription and for billing the account or subscription, that is used for age verification of the person attempting to access or creating an account or subscription to access any material or performance on the internet that is obscene or harmful to juveniles after age verification is completed. (4) An organization as described in division (C)(1) or (2) of this section shall not transfer any information collected, except for the purpose of age verification. Any party who receives transferred information for age verification purposes shall immediately delete all information gathered for the purpose of age verification after age verification is completed.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "retention and deletion of verification data",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "running",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.privacy"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_enforcement",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: enforcement mechanism and penalties",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Enforcement is exclusively by the Ohio Attorney General through civil action; the AG must provide written notice and a 45-day cure period before initiating enforcement, except for repeat violations; the AG may seek injunctive relief; the statute does not create a private right of action.",
      "body": "Enforcement is exclusively by the Ohio Attorney General through civil action; the AG must provide written notice and a 45-day cure period before initiating enforcement, except for repeat violations; the AG may seek injunctive relief; the statute does not create a private right of action.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(A) The attorney general may bring a civil action against an organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet that fails to comply with the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code and as a result of that failure a minor gains access to the material or performance. Before initiating such an enforcement action, the attorney general shall provide written notice to the organization identifying and explaining the basis for each instance of alleged violation. (B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, the attorney general shall not commence an enforcement action if the organization, within forty-five days after notice of the alleged violation is sent, does both of the following: (1) Cures all violations described in the notice; (2) Provides the attorney general with a written statement indicating that the violations are cured and agreeing to refrain from further noncompliance of the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code. (C) If the organization does not timely respond or continues to fail to comply with the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code after receiving the notice, the attorney general may initiate the enforcement action and seek injunctive relief. (D) Division (B) of this section does not apply if the organization fails to timely comply with all of the requirements described in the notice or commits subsequent violations of the same type after curing the initial violation under that division. Notwithstanding division (C) of this section, if an organization commits a subsequent violation of the same type after reporting that the initial violation is cured, the attorney general may bring a civil action at any time after sending notice of the violation under division (A) of this section.”\n\nNote: Section 1349.101 (enacted same bill) provides the enforcement framework. No fixed per-violation penalty amounts are specified in the statute; the AG seeks injunctive relief. The censorshiptracker source notes potential fines up to $100,000/day under proposed HB 84 but that is not yet law.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.101",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(A) The attorney general may bring a civil action against an organization that sells, delivers, furnishes, disseminates, provides, exhibits, or presents any material or performance that is obscene or harmful to juveniles on the internet that fails to comply with the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code and as a result of that failure a minor gains access to the material or performance. Before initiating such an enforcement action, the attorney general shall provide written notice to the organization identifying and explaining the basis for each instance of alleged violation. (B) Except as otherwise provided in division (D) of this section, the attorney general shall not commence an enforcement action if the organization, within forty-five days after notice of the alleged violation is sent, does both of the following: (1) Cures all violations described in the notice; (2) Provides the attorney general with a written statement indicating that the violations are cured and agreeing to refrain from further noncompliance of the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code. (C) If the organization does not timely respond or continues to fail to comply with the requirements under divisions (B)(1) or (2) or (C)(1) or (2) of section 1349.10 of the Revised Code after receiving the notice, the attorney general may initiate the enforcement action and seek injunctive relief. (D) Division (B) of this section does not apply if the organization fails to timely comply with all of the requirements described in the notice or commits subsequent violations of the same type after curing the initial violation under that division. Notwithstanding division (C) of this section, if an organization commits a subsequent violation of the same type after reporting that the initial violation is cured, the attorney general may bring a civil action at any time after sending notice of the violation under division (A) of this section.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "enforcement mechanism and penalties",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "trouble",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.enforcement"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_10_court_status",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10: court injunction status",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] As of the check date, no court has enjoined Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10; the statute took effect September 30, 2025 and remains in force, though major platforms like Pornhub claim exemption under the 'interactive computer service' carve-out in subsection (D)(2).",
      "body": "As of the check date, no court has enjoined Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10; the statute took effect September 30, 2025 and remains in force, though major platforms like Pornhub claim exemption under the 'interactive computer service' carve-out in subsection (D)(2).\n\nWhat Censorship Tracker actually says:\n\n“HB 96 (2025 budget) is in effect, effective Sep 30, 2025. The 'Ohio Innocence Act,' enacted as part of the HB 96 budget bill June 30, 2025; effective Sept 30, 2025. Requires sites with material obscene or harmful to juveniles to use reasonable age verification and geofencing, with periodic re-verification and strict data-deletion rules, AG-enforced.”\n\nNote: No federal court order enjoining § 1349.10 was found in searches. The statute is recent (effective Sept 30, 2025). The censorshiptracker source reports it as 'in effect.' The interactive-computer-service exemption (D)(2) is being litigated via legislative fix (HB 84) but no court order on § 1349.10 itself was located.",
      "source_type": "research",
      "source_link": "https://www.censorshiptracker.com/state/ohio",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "B",
      "source_publisher": "Censorship Tracker",
      "evidence_quote": "HB 96 (2025 budget) is in effect, effective Sep 30, 2025. The 'Ohio Innocence Act,' enacted as part of the HB 96 budget bill June 30, 2025; effective Sept 30, 2025. Requires sites with material obscene or harmful to juveniles to use reasonable age verification and geofencing, with periodic re-verification and strict data-deletion rules, AG-enforced.",
      "volatility": "high",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.10",
      "topic": "court injunction status",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "trouble",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.enforcement",
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "explicit_solo"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_09_existence",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09: existence and effective date",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio has a social-media parental notification statute, the Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act, codified at Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09, enacted by House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly, effective October 3, 2023 (operative January 15, 2024 per Section 803.380 of HB 33).",
      "body": "Ohio has a social-media parental notification statute, the Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act, codified at Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09, enacted by House Bill 33 of the 135th General Assembly, effective October 3, 2023 (operative January 15, 2024 per Section 803.380 of HB 33).\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“Section 1349.09 | Parental notification by social media operators [applies beginning 1/15/2024 per Section 803.380 of H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly]. Effective: October 3, 2023 Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly”\n\nNote: This law targets social media operators, not adult-content sites. It requires parental consent for users under 16.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.09",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "Section 1349.09 | Parental notification by social media operators [applies beginning 1/15/2024 per Section 803.380 of H.B. 33, 135th General Assembly]. Effective: October 3, 2023 Latest Legislation: House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09",
      "topic": "existence and effective date",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "messaging",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "access.id",
          "access.signup"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_09_bound_entity",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09: whom the statute binds",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute binds an 'operator' defined as any business, entity, or person that operates an online website, service, or product with Ohio users that allows social interaction, profile creation, connection lists, and user-generated content viewable by others; an individual creator posting on someone else's platform is not an 'operator' under this definition.",
      "body": "The statute binds an 'operator' defined as any business, entity, or person that operates an online website, service, or product with Ohio users that allows social interaction, profile creation, connection lists, and user-generated content viewable by others; an individual creator posting on someone else's platform is not an 'operator' under this definition.\n\nWhat Ohio Legislative Service Commission actually says:\n\n“(1) \"Operator\" means any business, entity, or person that operates an online web site, service, or product that has users in this state and that allows those users to do all of the following: (a) Interact socially with other users within the confines of the online web site, service, or product; (b) Construct a public or semipublic profile for the purpose of signing into and using the online web site, service, or product; (c) Populate a list of other users with whom an individual shares or has the ability to share a social connection within the online web site, service, or product; (d) Create or post content viewable by others, including on message boards, chat rooms, video channels, direct or private messages or chats, and a landing page or main feed that presents the user with content generated by other users.”\n\nNote: The definition targets platform operators, not individual content creators using those platforms.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1349.09",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission",
      "evidence_quote": "(1) \"Operator\" means any business, entity, or person that operates an online web site, service, or product that has users in this state and that allows those users to do all of the following: (a) Interact socially with other users within the confines of the online web site, service, or product; (b) Construct a public or semipublic profile for the purpose of signing into and using the online web site, service, or product; (c) Populate a list of other users with whom an individual shares or has the ability to share a social connection within the online web site, service, or product; (d) Create or post content viewable by others, including on message boards, chat rooms, video channels, direct or private messages or chats, and a landing page or main feed that presents the user with content generated by other users.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09",
      "topic": "whom the statute binds",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "messaging",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "access.signup"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_09_court_history",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09: court injunction history",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The district court granted a TRO on January 8, 2024, a preliminary injunction on February 12, 2024, and a permanent injunction on April 16, 2025, enjoining enforcement of § 1349.09; the Sixth Circuit reversed on June 18, 2026, holding NetChoice lacked third-party standing and failed to show facial unconstitutionality, and remanded with instructions to enter judgment for the Attorney General.",
      "body": "The district court granted a TRO on January 8, 2024, a preliminary injunction on February 12, 2024, and a permanent injunction on April 16, 2025, enjoining enforcement of § 1349.09; the Sixth Circuit reversed on June 18, 2026, holding NetChoice lacked third-party standing and failed to show facial unconstitutionality, and remanded with instructions to enter judgment for the Attorney General.\n\nWhat U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit actually says:\n\n“Because a majority of the panel agrees that NetChoice has failed to establish that the Act is facially unconstitutional, we REVERSE the district court's judgment and REMAND with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Yost.”\n\nNote: The Sixth Circuit opinion is the controlling appellate decision. NetChoice filed a petition for rehearing en banc on July 16, 2026 (pending). The district court's permanent injunction technically remained in place pending appellate mandate.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf/26a0177p-06.pdf",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit",
      "evidence_quote": "Because a majority of the panel agrees that NetChoice has failed to establish that the Act is facially unconstitutional, we REVERSE the district court's judgment and REMAND with instructions to enter judgment in favor of Yost.",
      "volatility": "high",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09",
      "topic": "court injunction history",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "messaging",
        "stage": "trouble",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.enforcement",
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r202_ohio_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_oh_rc1349_09_current_status",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09: current enforceability status",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Following the Sixth Circuit's June 18, 2026 reversal and remand, the Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act is cleared for enforcement once the appellate mandate issues, unless further review is granted; as of the check date, the law's enforceability hinges on the mandate and any rehearing petition outcome.",
      "body": "Following the Sixth Circuit's June 18, 2026 reversal and remand, the Parental Notification by Social Media Operators Act is cleared for enforcement once the appellate mandate issues, unless further review is granted; as of the check date, the law's enforceability hinges on the mandate and any rehearing petition outcome.\n\nWhat Censorship Tracker actually says:\n\n“On June 18, 2026 a divided Sixth Circuit panel REVERSED (NetChoice v. Yost, No. 25-3371) and remanded with instructions to enter judgment for Attorney General Yost. The panel split three ways: Judge Clay announced the judgment, holding NetChoice lacked prudential third-party standing to assert minors' First Amendment rights because the platforms' profit motive conflicts with the interests of the minors they purported to represent, and that NetChoice had not carried the burden for facial invalidation; the court treated the Act as content-based, applied strict scrutiny, and held it survives, also rejecting the vagueness challenge. Judge Batchelder concurred in the judgment on the narrower Moody scope/applications ground; Judge Ritz dissented. NetChoice filed a petition for rehearing en banc on July 16, 2026, which is pending, so the posture can still change. Treat the Act as in force in the Sixth Circuit unless a further order says otherwise.”\n\nNote: The censorshiptracker assessment is that the Act is 'in force in the Sixth Circuit unless a further order says otherwise.' The rehearing petition was filed July 16, 2026.",
      "source_type": "research",
      "source_link": "https://www.censorshiptracker.com/state/ohio",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-13",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "B",
      "source_publisher": "Censorship Tracker",
      "evidence_quote": "On June 18, 2026 a divided Sixth Circuit panel REVERSED (NetChoice v. Yost, No. 25-3371) and remanded with instructions to enter judgment for Attorney General Yost. The panel split three ways: Judge Clay announced the judgment, holding NetChoice lacked prudential third-party standing to assert minors' First Amendment rights because the platforms' profit motive conflicts with the interests of the minors they purported to represent, and that NetChoice had not carried the burden for facial invalidation; the court treated the Act as content-based, applied strict scrutiny, and held it survives, also rejecting the vagueness challenge. Judge Batchelder concurred in the judgment on the narrower Moody scope/applications ground; Judge Ritz dissented. NetChoice filed a petition for rehearing en banc on July 16, 2026, which is pending, so the posture can still change. Treat the Act as in force in the Sixth Circuit unless a further order says otherwise.",
      "volatility": "high",
      "from_batch": "202-ohio-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Ohio Revised Code § 1349.09",
      "topic": "current enforceability status",
      "applies_to_country": "us-oh",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "messaging",
        "stage": "trouble",
        "region": [
          "us-oh"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.enforcement",
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}