Re: @JDX - Here's a question... does the porn industry WANT to restrict underage access?
1."Mechanisms like Age Verification will affect *everyone*, whether or not they have children, and remember the majority of households in this country *don't* have children, so why do we all have to be "protected" from this stuff?"
What kind of argument is that? It's not about protecting adults, but checking users are adults. Where have you got the notion this is about whether we have kids from? Besides, the idea a rule is needed only if it affects the majority is clearly nonsense. I submit you're just acting out of self-interest that YOU don't want to have to jump through hoops.
2. I (deliberately) never made any comment on porn being harmful but I'd hope we agree it's not a great idea for pre-pubescent children to be exposed to hard-core porn, or to explicit sexualisation in any sense.
That said, "it doesn't do anyone any harm" is just a load you've swallowed (ahem). Whether or not it harms the consumer, it is a matter of fact that porn is linked to abuse and trafficking. It is very hard(!) for you to know if the stuff you're consuming is legit when it's just a stream on some website. Some people might go out of their way to source "ethical porn" but most just type some search term into Google.
But while we're on the topic, I refute your claims it's harmless. It just smacks of tobacco companies funding research showing smoking wasn't bad for you. Whether it has a negative affect on mature adults, to suggest that children who grow up consuming porn before they start interacting with the opposite sex in real life won't be affected AT ALL is a very bold claim. It's not like there is any line between soft and hard stuff so a curious 10yo is just as likely to come across(!) some really dark stuff. It has also been shown that porn is on average getting harder. Maybe we grew up thinking a topless woman was pretty exciting, these days content very typically includes violent overtones, dominance, etc, not two people having a fun consensual time together.