Censorship
Indian Government Orders Block of 67 Adult URLs, Including Top Sites
The conservative Indian government has ordered the country’s internet service providers to block 67 adult sites for violating a new IT law passed in 2021, accusing them of “tarnishing the image of modesty of women."
French Senate's New Anti-Porn Report Calls Adult Content 'Infernal,' Recommends Censorship
A French Senate committee has issued a virulently anti-porn report comparing the adult industry with “hell” and recommending state regulation and censorship.
Southern Baptists Blame Youth Pastor Shortage on 'Proliferation of Pornography'
Southern Baptist church leaders are blaming their difficulties staffing youth pastor positions not on any lack of appeal due to anachronistic dogma, racial divisions or sex abuse scandals, but on “the proliferation of pornography.”
Michigan: GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Tudor Dixon Offers Odd Definition of 'Pornography'
Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon told reporters on Tuesday that, if elected, she would define “pornography” as “two naked people, and they are acting out a sexual act, and multiple different sexual acts.”
Wired Exposes Surveillance Apps Marketed as Religious 'Porn Filters'
Wired magazine has published an in-depth report about the secretive world of surveillance apps marketed as “porn filters” to churchgoers across America by faith-based corporations.
Woodhull Launches Petition to Block EARN IT Act
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has launched a petition demanding that senators meet with its representatives and other groups concerned about the controversial EARN IT Act.
Conservative Commentators Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro Deliver Anti-Porn Tirade
Conservative commentators Candace Owens and Ben Shapiro delivered a scathing anti-porn tirade last week on “The Ben Shapiro Show,” which streams on right-wing news site The Daily Wire.
5th Circuit Upholds Texas' Controversial Online Platform Liability Law
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today upheld a controversial Texas law prohibiting social media platforms from “censoring speech based on the viewpoint of its speaker,” in a decision that ignored long-standing precedent that First Amendment protections prohibit only censorship by the government, not by private companies.
Idaho Conservatives Rally Against Porn Literacy Classes After National Panic Campaign
After a national moral panic campaign by right-wing blogs and social media accounts, Idaho conservatives are pressuring public officials to suspend porn literacy classes being offered as part of the state’s sex education programs.
FSC Joins ACLU in Filing Amicus Briefs in Section 230 Cases
Free Speech Coalition has joined civil rights and sex worker rights groups in filing “friend of the court” amicus briefs defending Twitter, Craigslist and Omegle against FOSTA-enabled civil litigation alleging they profited from sex trafficking.
France's Porn Block: Details of MindGeek's Constitutional Challenge Explained
Legal analysts published this week a detailed explanation of MindGeek’s ongoing constitutional challenge against a French media regulatory agency’s attempt to completely block adult sites in the country over age-verification compliance.
India's Supreme Court Rebukes Attempt to Codify Link Between Porn, Sex Crimes
The Supreme Court of India has rejected a petition seeking to codify an alleged link between viewing internet pornography and committing crimes such as rape and child sexual abuse.
France, Germany Move Forward With Efforts to Block Adult Sites
Prompted by anti-porn activists and politicians, courts in France and Germany moved forward this week with proposed mandates to block adult sites over compliance with controversial age verification mandates.
9th Circuit Hears Arguments in Backpage.com Appeal
Attorneys for the former owners of Backpage.com and for the federal government presented arguments this morning before a three-judge Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel, in the defendants' appeal of a lower court's denial to dismiss the case.
UK Government Reverses Policy, Threatens 'Crackdown' on Pornhub, xHamster
The U.K.’s Conservative government today reversed a longstanding position by vowing to “crack down on porn sites,” and selectively enforce controversial legislation by targeting four high-profile tube sites, including Pornhub and xHamster.
Mark Zuckerberg Defends Porn Ban, Denies 'Shadowbans' Exist
During a recent interview, Facebook founder, Instagram owner and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg doubled down on his platforms' total ban on “pornography” and flatly denied the existence of “shadowbans” against specific users.
California Passes Controversial Age Verification Bill Drafted by British Baroness
The California legislature on Tuesday passed a highly controversial bill mandating sweeping yet vague age verification measures for any web site “likely to be accessed by children,” now waiting to be signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Adriana Chechik Reinstated on Twitch, Receives Apology from 'Fortnite' Maker for Discrimination
After two instances of anti-sex-worker discrimination last week, Adriana Chechik has been reinstated to gaming platform Twitch and has received an apology from Epic Games, makers of Fortnite.
French Anti-Porn Activists Ask Government to Suspend Twitter Over Adult Content
French activist groups claiming to represent “the children” will formally request today that online government regulator Arcom suspend Twitter in France unless the platform finds, within two weeks, a way to block minors from what the groups consider “pornographic” content.
Abortion Ruling Triggers New Censorship Concerns
The Supreme Court’s stunning ruling in the Dobbs case, overturning Roe and triggering numerous state-level abortion restrictions, has significant implications for Section 230 and online censorship.