Censorship
Sen. Ron Wyden, Author of Section 230, Vows to 'Fight Like Hell' to Protect It
In response to a Wired article published today warning that Section 230 is a “last line of defense for abortion speech online,” the law’s co-author Sen. Ron Wyden vowed to “keep fighting like hell" to protect it.
Another Instagram Influencer Detained by Bali Authorities for 'Indecent Content'
Another Instagram influencer has been detained in Bali and is being investigated by police there, who accuse the creator of “creating and selling porn on social media.”
Louisiana Bill Creating Liability for Adult Sites Signed Into Law
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced last week that he had signed 97 laws passed by the state's Republican-controlled legislature, including a controversial bill sponsored by a faith-based “sex addiction” therapist and state representative, which creates liability for all “online pornography.”
Chinese Researchers Announce 'Porn Police' AI Helmet to Aid State Censorship
A Chinese research team claims to have created a “mind-reading device” that detects “porn watching,” which could be used by police to enforce the country’s strict laws against sexual expression.
Spain's Adult Creators Issue Manifesto Against Censorship Proposal
A group of leading Spanish and Spain-based independent adult content producers has released a manifesto urging action against the total censorship of adult content proposed by the governing PSOE as part of its new anti-sex-work legislation.
9th Circuit Sets New Date for Backpage.com Appeal
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals this week scheduled for September 2 oral arguments regarding a lower court’s refusal to dismiss the Backpage.com case, following the notorious 2021 mistrial declared by an Arizona judge.
Texas GOP Platform Declares Pornography a 'Public Health Hazard'
The Texas Republican Party adopted a new platform for 2022 at its state convention over the weekend, including a call for the state to officially “recognize that pornography is a public health hazard.”
Nigerian Government Orders All Open Platforms to 'Remove' All Pornography
The federal government of Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, has ordered all open-access online platforms to “remove, disable or block access" to all "pornographic" content.
Japanese Proposal Enabling Adult Performers to Void Their Own Contracts Becomes Law
A Japanese legislative proposal passed into law on Wednesday, allowing anyone who signs a contract to appear in “pornographic productions” to void that contract at any time for any reason.
New Japanese Law Would Enable All Porn Performers to Void Contracts
A legislative debate about lowering the age of legal majority in Japan, which quickly devolved into a sensationalist campaign about adult performers aged 18-19, has now morphed into a proposed new law under which anyone who signs a contract to appear in “pornographic productions” could void that contract at any time for any reason.
French Senators Propose Treating Adult Content 'Like Terrorism or CSAM'
New details surfaced today about a French media regulatory agency's plan to block all major free adult sites in the country, in response to a controversial age verification law.
OnlyFans CFO Admits Underestimating 'Strength' of Adult Creator Community
OnlyFans’ Chief Financial Officer revealed today that he had "underestimated the strength” of OnlyFans’ adult creator community during the controversy caused by the platform’s 2021 decision, later reversed, to ban adult content.
India: Cybercrime Police Admit Porn Ban Encourages Blackmail
An official with India’s cybercrime police agency has acknowledged an upsurge in cases of criminals blackmailing people for watching adult content online, thanks to local laws that make such viewing illegal.
India's Government Prepares to Ramp Up Online Censorship
India’s increasingly powerful Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology yesterday published proposed new rules that would give the government sweeping control over social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit, digital news publications and streaming sites — including the power to punish them for “porn” and “obscenity.”
Arizona Republican Paul Gosar Questions Free Speech Status of Porn
Arizona Republican congressman Paul Gosar made comments on social media Wednesday questioning longstanding jurisprudence protecting sexual expression as free speech under the First Amendment.
Spanish Politicians Try to Outlaw Consensual Sex Work, Including Porn
Spanish sex workers and adult industry figures are sounding the alarm about a proposed new law, supported by politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties, aiming to outlaw all forms of paid sex work — including commercial pornography.
West Virginia Governor Blames 'Pornography' for Texas School Shootings
The Republican governor of West Virginia, Jim Justice, made statements yesterday blaming “access to pornography” as one of the main causes of mass shootings like the Uvalde, Texas massacre of 19 children and two teachers.
Supreme Court Puts Texas Online Platform Liability Law on Hold
In an unusual 5-4 vote that did not follow ideological lines, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a controversial Texas social media law that would have made social media platforms liable for moderating content based on what the law defined as “viewpoints.”
Ohio Republican Senate Candidate JD Vance Calls for 'Outright Ban' on Porn
Recent coverage of Ohio Republican J.D. Vance, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, has foregrounded a year-old interview with a Catholic publication where he calls for an “outright ban” on porn.
Local German Anti-Porn Crusader Plans to Expand Surveillance Tool to All of Europe
The local official behind the crusade for Germany to require age verification for viewing sexual content is now seeking to expand to all of Europe the use of his new AI tool, KIVI, which automatically scans all online content to determine which images are not compliant with the law.