Shocking Indiana Law Forces Porn Watchers onto Sex Offender List—Could You Be Affected?
Ever think about how far politicians will go to keep you from seeing a pixelated nipple? Well, Indiana lawmakers just cranked the censorship dial to “ludicrous speed.” Sometimes I wonder if they spin a roulette wheel marked with “freedom” and “shame” every morning for sport… Anyway, in a legislative move that’s equal parts Kafka and knock-knock joke, Indiana has rolled out a freshly absurd rule: if you want to view any adult content online, you first have to register – wait for it – as a sex offender . Yep, you read that right. Before clicking that “Are You 18+?” button, you’ll need a mugshot and a permanent record—basically like wanting to watch spicy content but ending up on Dateline NBC. How’s that for government oversight? Wondering just how bizarre this gets (and why Texas and Oklahoma’s approaches sound like even worse sitcom pilots)? <a href="https://theonion.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NewIndianaLawIHAGR-R.jpg”>LEARN MORE.
NDIANAPOLIS—In an effort to curb unauthorized traffic to adult websites within the state, Indiana lawmakers passed new legislation Thursday requiring all potential viewers of online pornography to register as sex offenders before they could access sexually explicit material.
“This law will ensure that no resident of Indiana encounters harmful, X-rated content on the internet without first providing proof that they are legally considered a sexual predator,” said bill co-sponsor Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne), explaining that under the new measure an unclosable pop-up window would send users to a third-party website where they would be prompted to verify their permanent status on the sex offender database, waive their right to a trial, and submit to a mugshot before any graphic content could be displayed.
“This is merely a fail-safe to ensure the only individuals accessing mature material online are those on record as being a depraved person in the eyes of the law,” Brown continued. “In addition, the community at large will be alerted to the presence of these perverts who regularly view pornography for their own pleasure. Similar measures have proven successful in Texas and Oklahoma, where internet users are required to go door to door and announce themselves as sex criminals to their friends and neighbors every time they wish to navigate to a website that may show genitals, kissing, or a woman’s nipple.”
Brown went on to state that users would need to register as repeat offenders for each additional category of pornography they intended to view.
