Censorship
Cherie DeVille's Daily Beast Article Unmasks NYT's 'War on Porn' Bias
The Daily Beast published an opinion piece today by Cherie DeVille giving her personal testimony about how the current religiously motivated War on Porn is warping the public opinion against sex workers who work in the adult industry.
Largest Indian State Begins Monitoring All Porn Searches
The police forces in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, have announced the creation of a team to monitor internet searches for “pornographic material.”
Utah: Mandatory 'Porn Filter' Bill Clears Committee, Heads to House Floor
The controversial Utah bill mandating a “porn filter” on every electronic device sold in the state finally passed out of committee by a narrow 6-5 vote and is headed to the House of Representatives' floor.
NCOSE Spearheads Another Liability Lawsuit Against Pornhub, MindGeek
A group of lawyers — including members of the legal team of religiously motivated anti-porn crusading organization NCOSE — have filed a civil class action suit in Birmingham, Alabama against Pornhub’s parent company MindGeek, on behalf of two women who alleged illegal videos of themselves were uploaded to the platform by third-party users.
Iowa: Copycat 'Porn Block' Bill Fails to Move Forward
The Iowa House of Representatives’ Commerce subcommittee declined to advance a bill that proposed blocking adult content on electronic devices by default, as well as creating a special $5 tax on adult entertainment to fund initiatives against “human trafficking.”
Utah: Religiously Inspired NCOSE Speaks to House Committee in Support of 'Porn Block'
A Utah House of Representatives committee meeting yesterday to discuss a lawmaker’s proposal requiring all “new electronic devices” sold in the state to have pornography filters turned on by default, featured a presentation by a representative of religiously-inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE.
'Performance Prostitution' Ordinance Delayed in Wyoming Over OnlyFans Concerns
A City Council vote in Casper, Wyoming was delayed yesterday, after a council member pointed out that a newly phrased legislative proposal criminalizing “performance prostitution” would affect local online sex workers, particularly those with an OnlyFans account.
Pornhub Releases Statement About Content Moderation Changes
Pornhub announced today a series of safety and security policies enhancing measures for verification, moderation and detection of content with the goal of positioning the company “at the forefront of combating and eradicating illegal content.”
Sen. Merkley: Revised SISEA Will 'Protect the Rights' of Consensual Online Performers
A spokesperson for Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) confirmed to XBIZ today that the new version of the SISEA bill he co-sponsored last year will “ensure that the rights of consensual actors” in the adult industry will “continue to be protected.”
Utah Lawmaker Reintroduces Bill Mandating Default 'Porn Blocks' on All Devices
Utah politicians continue their periodic attempts to pass hard-to-enforce state bills — allegedly to protect the citizenry from a made-up “public health crisis” around porn — with a new bill introduced to the legislature this week requiring “new electronic devices” to have pornography filters turned on by default.
Religiously Inspired Group NCOSE Files FOSTA Lawsuit Against Twitter
Religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE (National Center on Sexual Exploitation, formerly known as Morality in Media) helped file a lawsuit yesterday against Twitter over a third-party user post, based on the Section 230 loophole opened by the passage of FOSTA-SESTA legislation in 2018.
APAG Meets With Sen. Merkley's Staff Regarding SISEA, Releases Statement
Members of the Adult Performance Artists Guild (APAG) Executive Board met today with representatives from Senator Jeff Merkley's office (D-Ore.) to discuss his support for SISEA (Stop Internet Sexual Exploitation Act).
New Congress Cleans Slate for Bills Targeting Free Speech, Sex Workers
With the January 3, 2021 end of the 116th Congress, the several bills aiming at repealing or reforming Section 230 and the bills introduced last month as reactions to the anti-porn campaign spearheaded by religious groups which culminated in the December 4 New York Times article by Nicholas Kristof are now considered “dead” and would have to be reintroduced before the 117th Congress, which began on the same day.
The New War on Porn: How Moral Crusaders, Mainstream Media and Politicians Are Gunning for XXX
In early December 2020, the world entered the 12th month of an unprecedented pandemic, COVID-related financial losses to individuals and businesses ravaged the economy, Congress bickered over relief measures and the President of the United States continued in his historic refusal to acknowledge the results of a presidential election.
Russia Tightens Internet Laws Against 'Banned Content'
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed several laws last week to increase state control over information online, including one that introduces crippling fines for failing to remove “banned material.”
Sex Workers Warn of Harm to Safety, Livelihoods if Section 230 Is Repealed
An article published yesterday by legislative news site The Hill yesterday highlighted the dire consequences that the campaign to repeal Section 230 is already having for sex worker safety and visibility.
Made in Missouri: Senator Hawley's Quest to Revive Obscenity Prosecutions
Senator Josh Hawley's home state of Missouri, and particularly its evangelical churches, has become Ground Zero for the ongoing campaign against the entire adult entertainment industry.
McConnell Ties COVID Relief Vote to Section 230 Repeal
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) derailed today any attempts to reach agreement on a one-time, $2,000 COVID-relief check for most Americans unless the bill also included the repeal or reform of Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the internet” that digital rights activists consider the basis of online free speech.
Lindsey Graham Admits Goal Is to 'Limit' Access to Porn
In an email replying to questions about his vocal support for several pieces of legislation that would effectively establish state censorship over legal adult content, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) unequivocally stated that his goal was to “to limit society's exposure to inappropriate material.”
Reuters Report: Visa Resumes Card Use for 'Professional Content' MindGeek Sites
According to a Reuters report, Visa announced today that it “has allowed usage of its cards on MindGeek’s platforms that host professionally generated content,” although it continues the suspension of card use on the company’s tube site Pornhub “until pending investigations are complete.”