xbiz world
xbiz premiere

Articles by Rick Louis

California Governor Signs Bill Limiting CIPA Claims

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill to narrow the scope of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), to prevent abusive lawsuits targeting online businesses, including adult websites.

California Enacts Stricter UGC Rules for Adult Sites

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill to impose tighter compliance standards for user-generated content (UGC) on adult websites accessible in California.

UK Aims to Begin Enforcing 'Choking' Ban Before Year's End

The U.K. will soon begin enforcement of a new law criminalizing depictions of “non-fatal strangulation” in adult content, according to a Ministry of Justice official.

Ofcom Cites Web Prime, Porntrex for Alleged AV Violations

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Tuesday notified two operators of adult websites of the agency’s provisional determination that the companies have failed to comply with provisions of the Online Safety Act.

Aylo Wins Preliminary Injunction Against Utah AV Law's VPN Rule

A federal court on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state of Utah from enforcing a legal provision that would make adult websites liable if minors in the state circumvent geolocation efforts in order to bypass age verification.

Ofcom Investigates Pornhub's Device-Based UK Age Checks

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation to determine whether Pornhub parent company Aylo’s use of device-based age verification complies with the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.

France Weighs Ban on Purchase of 'Remote' Sexual Services

The French National Assembly is considering a proposal to criminalize the purchase, and/or facilitation by online platforms, of sexual services performed remotely by streamers and custom content creators.

FSC Case Against Tennessee AV Law Can Go Forward, Court Rules

A U.S. district court on Tuesday denied the Tennessee attorney general’s motion to dismiss a Free Speech Coalition lawsuit challenging the Protect Tennessee Minors Act.

California Legislature Passes Stricter UGC Rules for Adult Sites

A bill to impose tighter compliance standards for user-generated content (UGC) on adult websites has been approved by the California state legislature and now awaits the governor’s signature.

California, Florida Reps File Latest Bill to Repeal Section 230

Two members of Congress on Thursday introduced new legislation to repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects interactive computer services — including adult platforms — from liability for user-generated content.

Second Bill Proposed to Shield US Sites From 'Foreign Censorship'

For the second time in recent weeks, a Republican congressman has introduced legislation to bar U.S. courts from helping to enforce foreign laws restricting speech that would domestically be protected under the First Amendment, potentially including foreign age verification laws.

Ukrainian Legislators Revive Porn Decriminalization Push

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, is once again considering a bill that would decriminalize the creation and distribution of pornography in that country — an activity that currently carries a prison sentence of three to five years.

Ofcom Fines XGroovy $986,000 for AV Noncompliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom on Thursday imposed a fine of 700,000 pounds (about $986,000) against adult website XGroovy for failing to comply with provisions of the Online Safety Act.

Utah VPN Enforcement Pause Extended in Aylo Lawsuit

Provisions of a Utah law making adult websites liable if minors in the state circumvent geolocation efforts to bypass age verification, which were set to come into force in May, have again been put on hold temporarily.

Anti-Censorship Bill Could Shield US Sites From Foreign AV Laws

A Republican congressman has introduced legislation to bar U.S. courts from helping to enforce any foreign law restricting speech that would domestically be protected under the First Amendment, potentially including foreign age verification laws.

Romantix-Fargo Zoning Dispute Heads Back to District Court

A federal appeals court on Thursday ruled that zoning officials in Fargo, North Dakota, acted in an “arbitrary and capricious” manner when they prevented sex toy retailer Romantix from opening a planned retail store in that city.

Appeals Court Upholds Section 230 Immunity in XVideos Case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit has upheld a lower court’s ruling that Section 230 protects WebGroup Czech Republic from liability in a case involving user-uploaded CSAM on its tube sites.

JustFor.fans Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of JustFor.fans in a case against a website using an infringing domain.

Aylo Moves to Settle Two 'Children of Pornhub' Class-Action Lawsuits

Aylo has agreed to terms for a settlement with the plaintiffs in two long-running class actions over allegations that former Pornhub parent company MindGeek knowingly allowed and profited from CSAM on its sites.

SCREEN Act Stalls in Senate Committee Over Technicality

The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday voted to approve the SCREEN Act, which would mandate nationwide site-based age verification of users seeking to access adult content online, but a procedural issue blocked the bill from advancing to the full Senate.

Show More