Censorship
Instagram Launches New Tool Notifying Users Who Have Been Shadow-Banned
In a move away from Meta’s longtime policy of denying the existence of "shadow bans," Instagram has launched a new tool to let users know if their posts are “barred from being recommended to other users.”
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Steps Up Crusade Against 'Salacious Pornography'
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has clashed with the St. Louis County Public Library as he pursues his current campaign against what he calls “materials that appeal to the prurient interest of any minor.”
Russia Outlaws All Gay, Lesbian and Trans Porn
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday signed explicitly homophobic legislation banning public expression of LGBTQ identity — termed “propaganda about nontraditional sexual relations” — including all adult content featuring gay, lesbian and trans sexualities.
TikTok Sex Censorship Results in Rise of Euphemistic 'Algospeak'
Online trend watchers have been flagging a noticeable rise in the use of “algospeak,” euphemistic terms used to avoid sex-related censorship on popular platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Florida Seeking to Redefine Sex Censorship Language
The Republican-run state government of Florida is stepping up efforts to redefine legal and policy terminology in a campaign to censor free speech concerning sexuality.
UK's Online Safety Bill Remains Mired in Conceptual Chaos
The Tory government led by Rishi Sunak has reintroduced the Online Safety Bill, which has now been amended to remove some of the language that would have forced platforms to censor content the government termed “legal but harmful.”
Woodhull Files New Reply Brief Challenging FOSTA
Woodhull Freedom Foundation has filed a reply brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the latest action in the organization's four-year legal battle to have FOSTA-SESTA declared unconstitutional.
Criminal Conviction Under FOSTA Triggers Adult Industry Worries
Wilhan Martono, a San Francisco-area man who owned the adult classified ads website CityXGuide, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by a Texas court on Monday to more than eight years in prison for violating FOSTA-SESTA, with a 60-month concurrent sentence for conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
Viral 'Kebaya Merah' Sex Video Prompts Obscenity Arrests in Indonesia
Two consenting adults whose sex video went viral in Indonesia last week have been arrested for obscenity, following a relentless investigative campaign by police and amateur detectives.
Iraqi Communications Minister Blocks All Adult Websites
Last Friday, Iraq's Minister for Communications, Hiyam al-Yasiri, ordered all pornographic websites in the country blocked.
UK: New Tory Government Backpedals From Plan to Censor 'Legal But Harmful' Content
New U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated that his Tory government will backpedal from controversial language in the proposed Online Safety Bill, which would have required online services to remove content that some MPs consider “legal but harmful,” including most pornography.
Tumblr Welcomes Back Nudity, But Not 'Sexually Explicit Acts'
Tumblr unveiled its new community guidelines today, announcing that the platform now welcomes “a broader range of expression, creativity and art” including “the naked human form.”
OnlyFans CEO Hits Back Against Sensationalist Allegations by BBC Reporter
OnlyFans CEO Amrapali “Ami” Gan has rebutted allegations of child exploitation in a sensationalist advocacy piece by an anti-porn BBC reporter, defending the site as “truly the safest and most inclusive social-media platform.”
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Seeks to Redefine 'Smut'
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft this week attempted to clarify his proposed ban on funding for what he called “prurient” library books, by explaining that he meant “smut.”
Pope Instructs Clergy to Delete Pornography From Their Cell Phones
Pope Francis I cautioned Catholic clergy on Monday against the “temptation of digital pornography” and ordered them to delete such material from their cell phones.
Utah Republican Argues for Return to Pre-1973 Definition of 'Obscenity'
A Republican member of the Utah state legislature is arguing for a return to the pre-1973 standard for determining what speech or expression is “obscene” and therefore not protected by the First Amendment.
Pennsylvania Republican Introduces 'Mandatory Porn Filter' Copycat Bill
A Republican member of the Pennsylvania state legislature has introduced a new bill mandating default “porn filters” on phones and computers sold in the state.
Woodhull Warns Against GOP's New Anti-LGBTQ Censorship Bill
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has released a statement condemning a new bill proposed by House Republicans, which the organization says “threatens to deny schools, libraries and museums federal funding for discussing LGBTQ+ issues or providing even basic sex education to children.”
Google Researchers Continue Targeting Adult Content for Censorship
In a new paper, Google researchers continue to classify explicit sexual material in the same category as “fake, hateful, or harmful content” that requires filtering.
USA Today Blames 'Destructive' Porn for Sexy Halloween Costumes
National newspaper USA Today has published a sensationalizing report about Halloween costumes, claiming that “scandalous sexual encounter fantasies reign in pop culture and pornography.”