Censorship
Mississippi Republican Introduces Copycat Age Verification Bill
A Republican state senator in Mississippi has introduced a copycat bill patterned after the Louisiana state law that mandates age verification for websites featuring pornographic content.
Republicans Move Forward With Redefinition of 'Prurient Interest' in Arkansas
Democratic state senators and LGBTQ+ advocates in Arkansas are raising concerns that a proposed bill targeting drag performances would limit the rights of transgender people and also redefine the legal concept of “prurient interest,” which is at the core of recent Republican attempts to reinstate obscenity prosecutions.
Iceland's Pirate Party MPs Move to Overturn Outdated Porn Ban
Iceland is currently debating a draft bill introduced by two members of the Pirate Party to overturn the total ban on pornography in the North Atlantic nation.
Louisianans Forced to Enter Government ID to Look at Porn Online
People in Louisiana who wish to visit adult websites are now required to enter their government ID, following the implementation of a controversial new state law promoted by a religious activist and Republican legislator, which came into effect Sunday.
Louisiana's Controversial 'Age Verification' Law Goes Into Effect Sunday
As questions linger regarding the imminent implementation of a controversial Louisiana law requiring “age verification” for adult content online, the religiously motivated Republican legislator and anti-porn crusader who spearheaded it continues her promotional campaign on behalf of it.
Texas Attorney General Files Brief to Narrow Section 230 Protections
Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an amicus brief yesterday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to radically narrow the scope of Section 230 protection for websites.
Tickle.Life Debuts 'Censorship-Free' Payment Gateway
Tickle.life has introduced Tickle Charge, a "sex positive and censorship-free" payment gateway for the sexual wellness and sextech industry.
Fargo Amends Zoning Code to Target Adult Boutiques
The Fargo City Commission approved amendments to its “adult entertainment establishments” zoning ordinance to limit the business of adult boutiques in the North Dakota city.
Thai Authorities Charge Soap Opera Actress With Operating Porn Site
Thai police have reported seizing around $20 million in assets from a couple accused of running an adult website, among other online businesses.
Slate Probes Social Media Discrimination Against Pleasure Product Companies
Slate published a report last week documenting discrimination against pleasure product companies by major social media platforms.
Russia Authorizes State Censors to Block All Gay, Lesbian and Trans Porn
The Russian government published Monday a decree granting censorship powers to the state media regulator to block any websites containing “LGBT propaganda,” a definition that includes all gay, lesbian and trans adult content.
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee Introduces Bill to Outlaw All Porn Nationwide
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) this week introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, a bill that nominally aims to “establish a national definition of obscenity” but which would, in effect, outlaw all online sexual content nationwide.
Wired Publishes Opinion Piece Stigmatizing Adult Content, Sex Work
Wired Magazine published an online opinion piece today by Virgina Heffernan, who deploys a number of stigmatizing and stereotypical tropes about sex work and depictions of sex in the course of speculating about the future of Twitter.
Cherie DeVille Warns Against J.D. Vance's Anti-Porn Crusade
Cherie DeVille has penned an editorial for the Daily Beast, warning about ongoing anti-porn crusading by Ohio’s Senator-elect J. D. Vance.
Canada: Senator Forces Age Verification Measure Targeting 'Sexual Activity' Depictions
A Canadian senator and anti-porn crusader who has collaborated with religiously motivated U.S. conservative groups has inserted a controversial amendment into a pending bill, requiring platforms to enact age verification systems if they allow any depictions of sexual content.
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.