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Articles by Rick Louis

New EU User Stats Could Reclassify Major Adult Sites Under DSA

Three high-traffic adult sites previously classified as “very large online platforms” under the European Union’s Digital Services Act are reporting user numbers below the threshold for that label, opening the way for possible downgrading of their obligations under that law.

South Dakota Legislators Debate AV Legal Strategies

The South Dakota state Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday heard testimony and debate over two competing age verification bills, in a hearing that focused largely on which piece of legislation could best withstand potential legal challenges.

North Dakota Legislature Backs Off on Device-Based AV

A North Dakota state senator who sponsored a device-based age verification bill that Free Speech Coalition (FSC) endorsed is now seeking to amend the bill to require site-based age verification instead.

Ofcom Closes OnlyFans Age-Gating Investigation

U.K. communications regulator Ofcom has discontinued an investigation into whether OnlyFans violated the Online Safety Act (OSA) by failing to prevent minors from viewing adult content.

New York Joins List of States Weighing AV Bills

New York is the latest state to consider legislation that would require adult sites to verify the ages of users seeking to access adult content.

New Mexico State Rep Gets Pushback on Copycat AV Bill

A New Mexico state legislative committee on Friday sent the conservative Republican sponsor of new age verification legislation back to the drawing board, citing concerns about the proposed bill’s effectiveness and practicality.

Professor Fired Over Adult Content Sues U Wisconsin

Veteran communications professor Joe Gow this week filed a civil lawsuit against the University of Wisconsin board of regents for violating his First Amendment rights by firing him for creating and appearing in adult content.

Kansas Sues Adult Website Operator Under AV Law

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed suit against SARJ LLC, alleging that the company’s adult websites have failed to implement age verification as mandated by state law.

Judge Pauses FSC Lawsuit Over Florida AV Law

A U.S. district court judge has paused Free Speech Coalition’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, pending the Supreme Court's ruling in the FSC-led challenge to Texas’ age verification law, HB 1181.

Will Co. Wins Legal Battle Against Pirate Sites

After a nearly four-year court battle, Japanese adult entertainment producer Will Co. has been awarded $4.5 million in damages and ownership of domains formerly belonging to the operator of now-shuttered MissAV.com and other high-traffic pirate sites.

Ofcom Releases Age Assurance Guidelines

U.K. communications regulator Ofcom released on Thursday its finalized official guidance on what constitutes “highly effective” age assurance, which adult sites are required to implement under the U.K.’s Online Safety Act (OSA).

Supreme Court Hears Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the case challenging Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

German Proposal to Block Payments to AV-Noncompliant Adult Sites Closer to Ratification

Germany is moving closer to implementing rules that would prohibit financial institutions from providing payment services to adult sites deemed to have inadequate age verification systems and would also make it easier for the government to target websites mirroring the content of such sites.

U.S. Solicitor General to Participate in FSC v Paxton

The Supreme Court on Monday granted a motion by the U.S. solicitor general to participate in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the case challenging Texas’ controversial age verification law.

Pornhub Rejects Claim It Plans to 'Avoid' Age Verification in UK

Pornhub parent company Aylo told XBIZ on Monday that a recent report claiming the site will use a “loophole” to sidestep age verification requirements under the U.K.’s Online Safety Act is “misleading,” and that the company will always ensure its sites are compliant.

FSC Sues Tennessee Over AV Law, Seeks Preliminary Injunction

Free Speech Coalition, along with a group of adult industry stakeholders, has filed a legal challenge to Tennessee’s age verification law and requested an expedited preliminary injunction against enforcement.

UK Tech Secretary Lists Age Verification Among OSA Priorities

Peter Kyle, the U.K.’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, on Wednesday made public a draft version of his priorities for implementing the Online Safety Act (OSA), including age verification.

10th Circuit Rejects Final FSC Appeal in Utah AV Case

The United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit on Monday rejected a motion by Free Speech Coalition (FSC) requesting that the full court rehear its appeal in Free Speech Coalition v. Anderson, the industry trade association’s challenge to Utah’s age verification law.

Trump Nominates Project 2025 Contributor, Section 230 Foe to Chair FCC

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated, as his pick to head the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr — an author of Project 2025 who has called for gutting Section 230 protections.

Florida Age Verification Law Faces Legal Challenge

Tech industry trade groups NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Florida’s HB 3, which includes a requirement for adult websites to verify the age of site visitors in the state.

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