Bill Overview
Title: Interstate Obscenity Definition Act
Description: This bill expands the prohibition on transmitting obscene content via interstate or foreign communications by providing for a broader definition of obscenity in statute and eliminating a requirement that obscene content be transmitted with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass a person.
Sponsors: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Target Audience
Population: People who use digital communication platforms to transmit or access content affected by changes in obscenity laws
Estimated Size: 200000000
- The bill broadens the definition of 'obscenity', meaning more content could potentially be considered illegal, impacting content creators and distributors.
- Expansion of obscenity laws may affect a wide array of internet users who may share or produce content across state or national lines.
- The change impacts not only those who actively engage in transmitting obscene content but also broader digital communications due to the wider scope of the definition.
- The elimination of the requirement for intent to abuse means more individuals could be impacted by the law, based on content alone rather than intent.
Reasoning
- The given budget limits suggest a moderate reach of the policy, so it's likely not every individual involved in digital communication will be significantly impacted.
- People in occupations related to content creation, digital distribution, and frequent online interaction are more likely to be directly affected.
- The broader definition and lack of intent requirement could mean increased legal risks for a wide range of internet users.
- Given that the policy expands obscenity definitions, its impact could differ based on individual content consumption and sharing habits.
Simulated Interviews
Freelance Graphic Designer (Austin, Texas)
Age: 25 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rely on sharing my designs online. If they decide my art is obscene, I could lose my livelihood.
- The new policy might discourage artistic expression.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Content Moderator (San Francisco, California)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Content moderation might become even more challenging and stressful.
- There's confusion about what's permissible, leading to potential job risks.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
College Student (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel like I'm always being watched, and now, I could accidentally break a law.
- This policy seems to scare people from sharing anything remotely edgy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Internet Service Provider Technician (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy could lead to more technical challenges for ISPs.
- It's a headache to navigate new restrictions that might affect my work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Adult Industry Content Creator (New York, New York)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be devastating, limiting how and what I can share.
- It's hard to know what's legal, putting my career at risk.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
High School Teacher (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't think my work is directly affected, but the policy may impact online educational resources.
- It introduces a layer of caution in digital curriculum sharing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Software Developer (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There might be indirect effects based on how platforms choose to enforce the policy.
- I worry about potential over-censorship affecting user experience.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Blogger (Miami, Florida)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried that my writings could be misclassified under the new definition.
- Content risk may dissuade some from sharing important stories.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Retired (Tucson, Arizona)
Age: 61 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I doubt it will affect me personally as I share benign content.
- However, it feels like a broader message to be careful with online interactions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Lawyer (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This legislation could lead to more legal challenges around freedom of expression.
- It's concerning how broad and vague the new definitions might be.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $25000000, High: $50000000)
Year 2: $32000000 (Low: $26000000, High: $52000000)
Year 3: $33500000 (Low: $27000000, High: $54000000)
Year 5: $37000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $59000000)
Year 10: $45000000 (Low: $36000000, High: $71000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The extent of enforcement and judicial resources required could fluctuate based on how aggressively the policy is implemented.
- Potential First Amendment challenges could result in costly legal battles, impacting federal litigation expenses.
- Overlap with state laws on obscenity could complicate implementation and enforcement.
- International implications if foreign content is considered obscene under U.S. standards, potentially affecting trade and diplomatic relationships in digital sectors.