In
Texas, a censorship bill has just been passed that could make it a crime to own
or view many popular manga, such as "Goblin Slayer" and "Fruits
Basket." The
bill, called "Senate Bill 20, by Sen. Pete Flores," passed the Senate
and was sponsored by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. It is now about to go to
the governor's office for signature.
What
this law proposes is that it would be illegal to possess or promote material
that "appears to depict a child under the age of 18," regardless of
whether it's a real person, a cartoon, or an image generated by artificial
intelligence (AI). According
to the law, if someone is convicted, they could face five years in prison for
being caught with this material, even if it's a first offense.
This has
caused great concern, as many popular manga would be banned in Texas if the law
is signed. One example many cite is "Goblin Slayer," for its
scenes of violence early in the story. But even manga like
"Fruits Basket," which are not as explicit, could be problematic,
depending on how one interprets "sexual acts." The law seems
to make it clear that only children's manga, like "Pokémon" or
"Sailor Moon," would be safe.
This new
law is just another step in a culture war that's been escalating against anime
in the United States for a couple of years. Groups like Moms for
Liberty, known for trying to remove LGBT books from school libraries, are now
calling for the removal of manga they consider "degenerate," such as
"Assassination Classroom."
Additionally,
figures like The Daily Wire's Matt Walsh have been attacking men who watch
anime, calling the medium "satanic" and saying only fat men enjoy it. This bill could have a major
impact on anime fans in Texas, but many expect it to be struck down in the
courts, with the Supreme Court weighing in. And if you think that's
overkill, here's what the Texas lieutenant governor had to say:
- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick issued
the following statement today following the unanimous passage of Senate
Bill 20, Stopping Artificial Intelligence (AI) Generated Child
Pornography, introduced by Sen. Pete Flores, R-Pleasanton: “ As
Texas enters the digital age, our state must be very careful with our
approach to artificial intelligence. With the proliferation of
AI-generated pornography, steps must be taken to protect Texans, and
specifically children, from harmful computer-generated content and the
crimes that arise from it .”
- "I've made SB 20 a
priority because Texas law must do more to eliminate all forms of child
pornography and stop the crimes that result from it. SB 20 keeps Texas up
with technological advancements and closes any legal loopholes to protect
our children. I thank Senator Flores for his diligent work addressing this
important issue." Senate Bill 20, introduced by Senator Pete
Flores, creates a new state crime for the possession or promotion of
obscene visual material that appears to depict a child under the age of
18, regardless of whether the depiction is of an actual child, a cartoon
or animation, or an image created using AI or other computer software.
