Censorship
North Dakota Republicans' Bill Proposes Total 'Obscenity Control'
A partisan bill introduced by North Dakota Republican state senators would redefine “obscene material and performance” and “explicit sexual material” in extremely broad terms that would result in creating criminal liability for almost all instances of nudity and references to sex outside of adult venues.
BBC Censors Pop Singer's Reference to the Other 'BBC'
The BBC, the United Kingdom’s national public broadcaster, has censored an online video of a live appearance by American pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, after she ad-libbed a reference to the porn term “BBC.”
Republicans Across the Country Continue Efforts to Redefine 'Prurient' Content
Republicans across the nation continue their ongoing campaign to legally redefine “prurient” — along with other terms like “obscenity,” “pornography” and “harmful to minors” — through diverse pieces of state legislation concerning topics such as online age verification, the purchase of library materials and the zoning of venues allowing drag shows.
U.K. M.P.s Report Rehashes Anti-Porn Myths, Recommends Crackdown
The U.K.’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation (APPG-CSE) today released a report repeating myths and stereotypes peddled by anti-porn activists and recommending a wide-ranging state crackdown on sexual expression online.
Republican's Anti-Drag Bill Redefining 'Prurient' Passes Montana House
The Montana House has endorsed a Republican bill aimed at restricting drag shows, which includes a legal redefinition of the term “prurient” as “having a tendency to excite lustful thoughts.”
Tennessee Legislature Redefines 'Obscenity and Pornography' to Target Drag Shows
The Tennessee legislature today passed a bill expanding the state’s definition of “obscenity and pornography” to criminalize anyone who “engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”
France Aims to Expand Age Verification to Social Media Platforms
The Culture Committee of France’s National Assembly voted last week to expand age verification requirements already mandated for adult content to include several popular mainstream social media platforms.
Pornhub Denounces Renewed Censorship of Instagram Account
Pornhub released a statement denouncing the arbitrary censorship of its Instagram account, after it was briefly reactivated for a few hours yesterday before being shut down again.
The Guardian Probes Religious Motivation of Republican Anti-Sex Bills
The Guardian published a report today probing the religious motivations behind the current Republican effort to put forth “anti-porn bills” at the state level across the U.S.
Right Wing Media Amplifies Nationwide Push for Age Verification
Several publications within the right-wing media ecosystem amplified, during the last news cycle, the current Republican push for age verification on websites displaying adult content.
Republican Admits Ultimate Goal of Arkansas Age Verification Bill is Federal Law
A Republican state senator in Arkansas who introduced a bill last month requiring age verification before “entering a website offering pornography” admitted that his state initiative is only a stepping stone toward the ultimate goal of a federal mandate.
Spanish Activists, Human Rights Groups Denounce Ongoing Attempt to Outlaw All Sex Work
Spanish sex workers, including adult producers and performers, continue to denounce a government attempt to outlaw all forms of commercial sex, starting with a controversial law deemed “dangerous” by human rights advocates.
NBC News Probes Instagram's 'Sex Censorship,' Sex Worker Discrimination
NBC News published a report today on the harms resulting from Instagram’s censorship of content related to sex and sexuality.
Arkansas Republicans Rewrite Anti-Drag Bill to Target All 'Adult-Oriented Performances'
The Arkansas House endorsed Senate Bill 43 on Monday, after Republicans amended it to shift the focus of the legislation from restricting “drag performance” to restricting all “adult-oriented performances” in the state.
Google Will Start Blurring 'Explicit' Search Images by Default
Google today announced plans to begin automatically blurring in search results, by default, images the company considers “explicit."
Utah Republicans Continue Introducing Controversial Age Verification Bills
Republican state legislators in Utah have introduced two controversial age verification bills that could have nationwide ramifications.
Breitbart Attacks FCC Nominee Over Activism Against Sex Censorship
Right-wing news site Breitbart.com is attempting to derail the confirmation of Gigi Sohn, President Joe Biden’s nominee for a seat on the FCC, by attacking her activism against censorship of sexual content.
West Virginia Republican Seeks to Redefine 'Obscene' and 'Prurient'
A controversial West Virginia state senator introduced this month two bills attempting to redefine “obscene matter” and “prurient interest” in the state, in an effort to censor sexual content.
FSC Warns Against 'Most Aggressive' Nationwide Censorship Campaign
Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released an online guide tracking new anti-porn age verification laws and bills in multiple states, in a wave of what the trade organization has called “the most aggressive censorship we've seen in decades.”
Anti-Porn UK MPs Stage Rebellion to Strengthen 'Online Safety Bill'
Members of the ruling Conservative Party in the U.K. are challenging Prime Minister Rishi Sunak by drafting new amendments meant to strengthen the controversial Online Safety Bill by increasing liability for platforms hosting adult content.