Articles by Lawrence Walters

opinion

Compliance With State Age Verification Laws

During the past year, website operators have faced a slew of new state age verification laws entailing a variety of inconsistent compliance obligations.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Beyond DMCA Takedowns: Exploring Alternative Avenues

Most content creators recognize that inevitably, their content will be leaked on pirate sites, forums and file lockers. The most responsible and successful creators have therefore implemented a strategy to protect their valuable intellectual property.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

How Sex Trafficking Claims Can Affect the Adult Industry

Numerous online platforms, including Kik, Twitter, Reddit and MindGeek, have been sued by civil claimants seeking to hold them responsible for sex trafficking activities by their users. These lawsuits have significant consequences for adult industry website operators, billing processors and performers.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

The Dangers of a Digital Dollar

We’ve all come to appreciate the convenience of quick and inexpensive transfers of cash, whether through apps like Venmo, Zelle and Cash App or traditional wire transfers and ACH transactions.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Abortion Ruling Triggers New Censorship Concerns

The Supreme Court’s stunning ruling in the Dobbs case, overturning Roe and triggering numerous state-level abortion restrictions, has significant implications for Section 230 and online censorship.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

CASE Act Offers New Anti-Piracy Option for Adult Creators

Content theft has been the bane of adult content creators’ existence since the advent of the internet. Given the ease with which content can be copied and republished on tube sites, file lockers and “leak” sites, unsavory content thieves have been able to earn a comfortable living by committing widespread copyright infringement.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Card Companies Face Increased Pressure to Cut Ties With Adult

As part of the aggressive campaign to tie adult websites to sex trafficking, various anti-porn activists are pressuring the major credit card associations to stop doing business with the adult industry.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Stealing Website Terms & Policies – Not the Best Idea

The Internet has become a notorious breeding ground for poaching others’ intellectual property

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Sex, Lies, & Sex Tapes

Sex, drugs & rock ‘n roll

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Viewing Rights - The Constitutional Right to View Erotic Material

What are your constitutional rights when it comes to viewing pornographic, violent or controversial material in your own home? This is a question we frequently address as First Amendment attorneys, and on which there is still some confusion in the minds of consumers

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Censored by Google: What’s Next?

Google, a name most associated with the popular, gargantuan search engine, has been making its way into the headlines for a different and much more egregious reason: censorship across its platform of products

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

DMCA Evolution: Forum Solicits Input on Possible Changes to Notice and Takedown Procedures

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act’s (DMCA) “notice and takedown” procedure and the attendant “safe harbor” protections afforded to service providers often spark controversy and debate

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Byte-Sexual: Recognizing the Evolving Relationships with Our Electronic Devices

Does the virtual assistant on your smartphone just “get you”? For many smart phone users, interacting with a natural speech-recognizing, intelligent, digital assistant - ever-present on their devices - has become a way of life

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Censorship by Money: Snuffing Out Adult Entertainment by Denial of Banking Services

Adult film stars are reportedly having their bank accounts systematically closed by JP Morgan Chase bank, for no other reason than their connection with porn

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Isaacs Obscenity Case & Life Without Miller

In a not-so-surprising, albeit disappointing, decision affecting the adult entertainment industry, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals recently

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

2257 Abuse

Title 18, U

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Unspoken Words: The Chilling Effect of NSA Surveillance Abuses

In early 2012 when the news first went mainstream that the NSA was building its “

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

Criminalizing Online Innovation: State Attorneys General Seek to Amend Section 230

Deceptively invoking the ‘save the children’ mantra yet again, State AG’s are reigniting the battle against online escort advertising websites, this time calling on Congress to amend one of the Internet’s few statutory guardians:

Lawrence Walters ·
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