By: Journalist Hayden Grubbs (OU)
Jael Finley (OU) author of the “Online Child Protection” Act of 2025
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature’s second session of the 56th Legislature saw debate over Senate Bill No. OU-003, known as the “Online Child Protection” Act of 2025.
The bill, authored by Senator Finley (OU), seeks to require age verification for websites distributing content deemed “harmful to minors.”
Several politicians voiced worries about the implementation’s consequences, despite the fact that many MPs agreed with the objective.
Senator Finley defended the bill, stating, “In a world where children are growing up with a smartphone in hand and constant access to the internet; we cannot ignore the real danger of online content. This bill is not about restricting free speech.”
By mandating commercial websites to check user age using government-issued identification or commercially acceptable techniques, the measure seeks to prohibit children from accessing sexually explicit items online.
However, the bill received mixed reactions across the Senate floor. Senator Carrington Cline (NWOSU) abstained from the vote, citing uncertainty. “I did not know what I was voting for. So abstaining was what felt most comfortable, and [I have] hesitation with any law that makes you show ID,” Cline said, highlighting privacy and surveillance concerns.
Senator Kai Jones (SE) supported the bill’s intentions but voiced concerns about its real-world consequences.
“I was very much for the intent of the bill to keep minors from accessing things like sexually explicit content,” Jones began. “My problem was that with similar legislation in other states, it actually caused sites to stop operation in those states because they did not feel that their site was secure enough.”
Jones also warned about unintentional censorship, adding that while the bill had “good intentions,” it may result in websites shutting down or limiting content for all users due to security risks and liability fears.
The legislation introduces strict penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to $10,000 per day and up to $250,000 if a minor gains access to restricted content due to failed verification.
The bill failed the Senate with a 6 – 7 vote. Still, senators from across party lines agree that protecting children is essential—though how to do so remains up for debate.