In the great American tradition of solving problems with blunt instruments, a sweeping wave of legislation aimed at “protecting the children” from online porn is threatening to do just the opposite—while also gutting the legal adult industry in the process.
Cherie DeVille, one of the adult industry’s most recognizable stars, isn’t buying the moral panic. Instead, she’s calling it what it is: a misguided overreach that’s more about political posturing than real protection. And she’s not wrong.
The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions (and Bad Legislation)
Currently, 20 states have signed on to age-verification laws that require porn sites to verify the age of every single user before they can access content. Sixteen more states are looking to join the party before the year is out, according to The Daily Citizen.
The goal? Keep minors from stumbling onto porn.
The reality? It’s a regulatory disaster that could push consumers into darker, more dangerous corners of the internet while decimating the legal side of the industry.
DeVille isn’t mincing words. “It’s going to be a massive amount of monetary loss, and I think you’re going to see an explosion of illegal, unethical porn because they don’t care and they won’t comply,” she told ABC News.
The Government Overstep That Should Terrify You
Beyond the industry’s survival, DeVille argues that this is a direct violation of the First Amendment and a serious red flag for anyone who values free speech.
“I do not care what you think about porn. This should terrify you because this is a massive government overstep in one of our most cherished things in the United States,” she said.
And she’s got a point. If the government can force this kind of gatekeeping on one industry, what’s to stop them from doing it elsewhere?
A Half-Baked Solution That Won’t Work
The kicker? These laws won’t even work as advertised.
“If this method of age verification were truly effective, I would support it,” DeVille admitted. “But in reality, it’s easy to bypass, and only legal sites will comply—leaving illegal and often dangerous content as the only unrestricted option.”
She’s right. Tech-savvy teens will always find ways around restrictions, and those who can’t will be driven toward black-market porn—where content moderation is nonexistent, exploitation runs rampant, and real harm is done.
Instead, DeVille argues for a real, device-based solution that would protect minors across all digital content—not just adult material. “If the true goal were child safety, there would be a serious effort to implement real protections such as device-based restrictions,” she said. “Instead, it’s clear this is just an attempt to eradicate the legal adult industry.”
A Dangerous Precedent in the War on Free Speech
Make no mistake, this isn’t just about porn—it’s about control. Love it or hate it, the legal adult industry operates under regulations designed to prevent abuse, ensure performer safety, and keep explicit content in the hands of consenting adults. This legislation does nothing to stop illegal content—it just cripples the platforms that play by the rules.
And that should worry everyone.
At 46, DeVille has built an empire, boasting 4.5 million Instagram followers and a collection of AVN Awards—the Oscars of porn. She’s been dubbed “the internet’s stepmom,” but make no mistake—she’s nobody’s fool.
Meanwhile, states like Louisiana, Texas, Utah, and Florida have already forced these laws through, with South Dakota joining the fray just last month. But as history has shown, prohibition doesn’t kill demand—it just pushes it underground.
So what happens when legal, regulated porn takes the hit? We’re about to find out.
News Porn Porn Stars Social Media
Last modified: March 21, 2025
