Barnett Sells Websites, Cites U.K. Porn Enforcement as Reason

LONDON — Jerry Barnett has given up his company's two blue-chip sites, Anywhere.XXX and StrictlyBroadband.com, after U.K. regulators served papers last month that gave him a strict schedule to comply with new age-verification rules.

Barnett, the managing director of Strictly Broadband Ltd. and chairman of U.K. adult entertainment industry trade group AITA who made a passionate plea earlier this year to the ATVOD board to ease up on strict new rules facing adult operators in the country, said he had no choice to close shop.

"ATVOD has implemented an age-verification regulation for adult sites that makes it effectively impossible to run a video-on-demand site in the U.K.," Barnett told XBIZ.

He said that Anywhere.XXX and StrictlyBroadband.com both have been sold to a U.S. company, Velvet Rose LLC, which will now manage and publish its content, as well as run its affiliate program.

ATVOD, the U.K. regulatory agency formally known as Authority for Television on Demand, has not budged on easing new regulations for adult operators, despite hearing threats that most would relocate elsewhere outside of its scope.

U.K.-based VOD operators now face enforcement of Rule 11, which requires that they ensure that those under 18 cannot access hardcore porn.

In April, Barnett told ATVOD's board in a letter that enforcement of Rule 11 would "decimate" the U.K. adult industry.

He said that it's already hard enough for an adult entrepreneur to make a profit since in the past four years revenue has declined industrywide by 80-90 percent, partly because of the popularity of tube sites operated abroad. Barnett said his own business has shrunk by 50 percent during the past four years.

"The end result is that, as the ATVOD  regulations are being introduced, many of the original players have gone out of business and those that remain are relatively small businesses compared to a few years ago," wrote Barnett, noting that nearly all — 99 percent — of online adult businesses worldwide operate outside ATVOD’s scope.

But his stance put him at the center of ATVOD's storm on the issue, and Barnett said that he later became a center of attention over Rule 11.

"As the lead lobbyist for the U.K. [adult] industry, I unfortunately was a fairly easy target, and was forced to stop operating the sites by Aug. 1," Barnett said.

Barnett told XBIZ that after he closes down the sites' operating company, Strictly Broadband Ltd., he will be setting up a new business called London VOD Services to continue providing technical services for the entertainment industry, including  the adult biz.

"I will also be continuing my campaigning and lobbying work against censorship in the U.K., once the handover is complete and I have time on my hands again," he said.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

FSC Publishes Analysis of Federal Trade Commission Event Promoting AV

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published an analysis of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) event held this week that promoted age verification among other forms of speech regulation.

GirlsDoPorn Owner Michael Pratt Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking

Michael Pratt, former owner of the rogue website GirlsDoPorn, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday to sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking charges, according to a report by City News Service.

Master Nico Relaunches Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Master Nico has relaunched his official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Federal Judge Grants Partial Halt of Florida AV Law

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee Division, has granted a preliminary injunction against HB 3, the state's age verification law, as a lawsuit filed by two online trade associations challenging the law makes its way through the courts.

Aylo Releases Statement on Suspending Access to Pornhub in France

Technology and media company Aylo, which operates adult sites including Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube, has released a public statement regarding its decision to block access to its sites in France.

Pineapple Support to Host Wellness Sessions at Bucharest Summit

Pineapple Support is hosting free group and one-on-one therapy sessions at Bucharest Summit, June 3-5.

Pornhub Blocks Access in France in Response to SREN Law

Pornhub parent company Aylo has opted to block access to its sites in France rather than comply with age verification requirements under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law.

ASACP Highlights Study on Parental Controls

The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) is highlighting the results of a study on the underutilization of parental controls.

Sydney Screams Launches New Site Through Grooby's Blue.xxx

Sydney Screams has launched her new membership site, SydneyScreams.xxx, through Grooby's website management company Blue.xxx.

Mistress Mystii Is LoyalFans' 'Featured Creator' for June

LoyalFans has named Mistress Mystii as its Featured Creator for June.

Show More