Censorship
Woodhull Freedom Foundation Denounces Anti-Porn Campaign
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has released an official statement about the campaign that resulted in OnlyFans' policy change — later reversed after sex worker outcry — to ban sexually explicit content.
Fox News, Conservative Think Tank Renew Call for OnlyFans Porn Ban
After a few days of positive mainstream media coverage of sex worker rights, and hours after OnlyFans announced it had reversed its decision to ban porn from the platform beginning October 1, conservative voices renewed their call for adult content censorship.
Virginia: Judge Rules Novelty Flag Is 'Obnoxious but Not Obscene'
A dispute between Virginia neighbors morphed into an obscenity trial after a Fauquier County farmer hung a flag reading “Eat a Giant Bag of Dicks” under a picture of a unicorn giving two middle fingers.
OnlyFans Releases Official Statement About Upcoming Ban on 'Sexually-Explicit Conduct'
OnlyFans has released an official statement regarding their upcoming ban on content depicting "sexually-explicit conduct," effective October 1.
Rep. Ann Wagner Asks for OnlyFans Investigation, Calls All Sex Work 'Illegal'
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), the religious-right Republican legislator who was the original drafter of FOSTA-SESTA, has released a letter to the Justice Department asking for an investigation into OnlyFans, claiming — without offering any clear evidence — that the platform has “become a major marketplace for buying and selling Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in the United States, as well as soliciting sexual activity with minors.”
China State Censorship Targets Karaoke, 'Low Taste' Content
The world’s most populous nation, China, has announced a further expansion of state censorship over content, targeting songs at karaoke parlors and also content that the government deems “low taste.”
New Report: Asia Leads 'Concerning' Global Trend Towards Internet Censorship
China, North Korea, Iran and several other nations on the Asian continent lead the global trend towards increased censorship of internet content — including blanket bans on “pornography” — according to a new study by cybersecurity research firm Comparitech titled, “Internet Censorship 2021: A Global Map of Internet Restrictions."
Turkey: Instagram Influencer Charged With 'Obscenity' Over Sex Toy Photos
A Turkish Instagram influencer has reported she is being prosecuted by Turkey’s authorities for the crime of “sharing obscene content” after she posted photos of her visit to Amsterdam’s Sex Museum, including images of pleasure products she purchased.
Georgia Judge Orders Tokyo Valentino Location Shuttered
A Cobb County Superior Court judge has ordered a Tokyo Valentino store closed as the adult boutique awaits an appeal over a zoning and licensing dispute instigated by local officials who oppose “sexually oriented businesses” in the Atlanta-area city of East Cobb.
Instagram Activates Default 'Explore' Filter Targeting 'Sexually Suggestive' Posts
Instagram announced on Tuesday the launch of a feature called “Sensitive Content Control” and set, as a default for all users, an option that prevents the app's “Explore” feature from showing posts that the company’s algorithms and human moderators deem “sexually suggestive or violent.”
ACLU Warns Against Biden's Latest Attack on Section 230
The ACLU sharply criticized President Joe Biden and his administration for his direct attack on Section 230 liability protections, which the White House has blamed for a proliferation of misinformation.
Federal Agency Endorses Campaign by Germany's 'Top Anti-Porn Warrior'
The one-man War on Porn being conducted in Germany by an obscure, conservative local bureaucrat from the North Rhine-Westphalia region has now gone federal, with his attempt to “shut down” all major tube sites over alleged age-verification infractions receiving the blessing of the federal Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz or KJM).
Kenya: Free Speech Groups Warn Against Total Porn Ban Proposal
Several free speech groups sent an open letter last week to a Kenyan MP who has been pushing forward a restrictive amendment to the country’s 2018 “Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act” (CMCA), including a blanket ban on all “pornography.”
MindGeek Lawyers Ask Alabama Judge to Uphold Section 230 Protections
MindGeek lawyers presented this week their first on-record Section 230 arguments in the current onslaught of liability lawsuits over third-party content uploaded onto Pornhub, part of the War on Porn-driven campaign that kicked off with Nicholas Kristof’s New York Times article in early December 2020.
Cherie DeVille Op-Ed Decries Instagram Bias Against Trans Performers
A new op-ed by Cherie DeVille for The Daily Beast, published on Monday, addresses the blatant discrimination against trans performers on Facebook-owned Instagram even as the companies paid lip-service to LGBTQ+ rights during Pride Month.
It's the Moderation, Stupid: Conservative Platform Gettr Faces 'Sonic the Hedgehog Porn' Issues
After the tumultuous collapse of Parler earlier this year, the current turmoil around adult content posted on startup platform Gettr highlights the problematic paradox at the core of marketing “free speech” platforms aimed at conservatives and others on the political right.
Florida Judge Halts Controversial 'Free Speech' Law
A Florida court enjoined last week the implementation of Florida’s controversial new law making social media platforms liable for moderation policies, in the name of political — but not sexual — "free speech."
MasterCard Execs Meet With APAG, FSC Over New Processing Rules
Executives from MasterCard held a meeting yesterday with representatives from adult performers union APAG and industry trade group Free Speech Coalition (FSC) to discuss the upcoming rule changes for credit card processing of adult content.
Tokyo Valentino Owner Fights to Keep Georgia Adult Boutiques Open
Michael Morrison, owner of the Southern adult boutique chain Tokyo Valentino, gave an interview to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explaining the ongoing zoning battle provoked by conservative city council politicians and lawyers attempting to chase his business out of two Georgia locations.
NCOSE Activist Opens TikTok Account to Spread Anti-Sex Work Propaganda
Haley McNamara, an activist affiliated with powerful, religiously-inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE (formerly Morality in Media), has started a TikTok account to spread propaganda targeting adult content and sex worker rights.