A US Congress bill aimed at protecting children from exposure to pornography on digital platforms has led to speculation about a ban on anime in the country for its occasional suggestive content, causing panic among fans.
Introduced in February by Senator Mike Lee, the Shielding Children’s Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act is a step toward safeguarding minors from the pervasive threat of online pornographic content, according to US media reports.
While the propositions in the act do not specifically target anime, fans are afraid the regulations may limit access to certain shows.
At least 52.8 million viewers watch anime on Crunchyroll in the US, as per the streaming platform.
Another legislation that has fans buzzing on social media is the Texas SB-20 Bill, which aims to criminalise possession or promotion of obscene visual material appearing to depict a child. This includes everything from the image of a child to cartoon or anime characters depicting minors.
However, Grok, a generative AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, rubbishes all the rumours.
“No, Congress isn't trying to ban anime outright. The SCREEN Act (introduced Feb 2025) focuses on age verification for online platforms to block minors from porn, not anime specifically,” the chatbot replied to a concerned fan on X.
Referring to the Texas bill, Grok added, “Texas's SB20 could criminalize obscene depictions of minors in media, potentially affecting some anime, but it's state-level and not a full ban. Claims seem exaggerated.”
However, Grok’s confirmation does not appear to have eased the tension, with anime fans on Reddit and X expressing their apprehension.
Several Redditers are wondering how the government would even implement this act if it pertains to anime.
For those confused on the Reddit thread, a user clarified that the Texas bill primarily aims to deal with deepfakes but its “murky wording” adds to the bewilderment of anime fans. “For people confused, it's about the Texas Anti-CP bill that was signed a few months ago for the State, which mainly has to do with AI Deepfakes, BUT has some rather murky wording, which has anime fans worried,” they posted.
If the ban on anime is imposed, there would be massive backlash from the anime community, said a fan on X. “Just know Trump if you BAN Anime in the US.......Be prepared for the craziest crashouts you've never seen!! So focus on fixing something else like that trillion dollars of debt instead,” they tweeted. Some Reddit users called the news “wild” and “blood-boiling”.
Another X user echoed a similar sentiment, sharing, “The government is apparently talking about banning anime in the USA. I promise you I’m going to be unreasonable.”
A fan supported the Congress’s efforts to protect minors from explicit content online, but refuted the implications the act might have on anime.
“The government wants to ban anime simply because they “want to protect viewers”? Like wth do they want us to even watch at this point? I’ll understand banning adult films but NOT anime,” they wrote on X.
“So my rent goes up, lights go up, water goes up, insurance takes most of my pay, yts are trying to send us back to the 1800s and now they wanna ban anime,” came another comment from a social media user.
The US government hasn’t shared any official statement regarding its stand on anime consumption in the country.
