On February 27, 2025, South Dakota passed the law that requires online platforms that contain adult content to implement age verification to ensure that users accessing the content are at least 18 years old. This law will take effect on July 1, 2025. For more details, visit the official legislation: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/25525
Punishments for non-compliance
Failure to comply with South Dakota's law can result in severe penalties, including a Class 1 misdemeanor and a Class 6 felony charge, and a civil penalty of not more than 5,000 USD for each separate instance that the covered platform fails to perform reasonable age verification.
Accepted methods of age verification
To comply with South Dakota’s age verification requirements, adult websites must use one of the following methods:
A state-issued driver license or non-driver identification card;
The individual's bank account information;
A debit or credit card from the individual that requires the individual in ownership of the card to be at least eighteen years of age; or
Any other method or document that reliably and accurately indicates if a user of a covered platform is a minor and prevents a minor from accessing the content of a covered platform.
How we are compliant
To ensure compliance with South Dakota's Bill 1053, we implement the following measures:
Using third-party government ID verification services to authenticate users' ages securely
Encrypting user data to maintain privacy and comply with data protection laws
Providing clear user consent processes before age verification
Regularly updating our verification processes to align with state regulations
By implementing these measures, we guarantee that our platform meets South Dakota's legal requirements and protects minors from inappropriate content.
For further information on compliance and the legal framework, visit the official South Dakota legislative website: https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bill/25525