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State ages of consent

State ages of consent for sexual activity vary, sometimes including close-in-age exemptions, but federal child-pornography law overrides state permissiveness

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Jan 28, 2026
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What is the legal age of consent for sexual activity in different US states and how does it vary internationally?

in the United States is not uniform: every state sets its own threshold (either 16, 17, or 18) and most jurisdictions also include close‑in‑age “Romeo and Juliet” exceptions and special rules for auth...

Feb 4, 2026

How have federal courts interpreted 18 U.S.C. §1466A in cases involving manga and anime (e.g., United States v. Handley)?

Federal courts have treated as a narrow but potent avenue to criminalize non-photographic depictions—including manga and anime—only when those works are found obscene under established obscenity law r...