A joint response from Stop Child Predators and Shared Hope, co-amici in supporting the North Carolina statute in this case:
“North Carolina attempted to protect children from online sex abuse and predation by placing certain social-media restrictions on a class of persons who pose a heightened risk of committing sex crimes - registered sex offenders. Although Facebook and other social-media sites could do a lot more to police their own traffic, nothing those sites do could have the kind of deterrent effect that a state statute, carrying the threat of prison time or a fine, will have. The decision in the Packingham case is unfortunate but it's important to note that the Court's reasoning was not unanimous. Justice Alito's concurring opinion, which was joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Thomas, presented a forceful defense of the compelling interest that states have in protecting children from recidivist sex offenders online. The state statute was ultimately viewed as too broad but the Court was clear that a narrower statute could yield a different result. As organizations committed to strengthening state laws protecting children from sexual abuse and sex trafficking, Shared Hope and Stop Child Predators will continue to explore ways children can be protected online that are consistent with First Amendment rights. We have seen the crime of sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, and the offenders, moving in large numbers to the internet. We must do what we can to protect our children in that space, as we do in our physical spaces.”
