Joseph Cacace to Present on Constitutional and Policy Challenges of State Age-Verification Laws
Todd & Weld partner Joseph Cacace will serve as a speaker today at 1:00 p.m. for a MyLawCLE program titled “Regulating Online Access to Protect Minors: Constitutional Challenges, Legislative Trends, and Privacy Consequences.”
The program examines the rapidly evolving legal landscape surrounding state age-verification laws aimed at regulating minors’ access to online content. Topics include the Supreme Court’s role in defining state authority, Commerce Clause concerns raised by state-by-state regulation, First Amendment challenges involving free speech and privacy, and the policy motivations driving bipartisan legislative efforts. The panel will also address litigation seeking to enjoin enforcement of such laws, including Mississippi’s recent statute regulating digital service providers.
Mr. Cacace’s presentation focuses on the policy rationale underlying state age-verification measures and the growing concerns over youth safety and online content regulation that have prompted legislative action. He will also analyze the privacy and free speech implications raised by these laws, including potential unintended consequences such as data exposure, overbroad censorship, and barriers to lawful adult expression. In addition, Mr. Cacace will explore alternative approaches including device-based or anonymized age-verification systems, designed to protect minors while minimizing privacy risks and compliance burdens.
The program will further examine how courts are addressing efforts to balance the protection of minors with constitutional safeguards, particularly in the context of First Amendment jurisprudence and ongoing challenges to enforcement.
FREE Registration is available here: mylawcle.com
Attendees may use the code ‘ROAPM26’ to register at no cost.