Censorship
Bipartisan PACT Act Proposes Extensive Changes to Section 230 Protections
Two U.S. senators, Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and John Thune (R-S.D.), have introduced the Platform Accountability and Consumer Transparency (PACT) Act, a new piece of legislation aiming to update Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
Italian Parliament Puts Roadblock on Far-Right's Attempt to Censor Adult Content
The Italian Camera, their equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives, has approved an agenda item to prevent the passage of a controversial amendment that would have required all adult sites to be automatically blocked by device manufacturers, and at the ISP level, with the proposal that subscribers would be required to individually request the block to be lifted.
Cyberspace Administration of China Penalizes Platforms for Porn, Other 'Chaotic' Content
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) announced today it has decided to “punish” 10 livestreaming platforms for "chaotic content,” including “pornography,” “revealing clothing on female cam stars” and "vulgar hot dances.”
Italy's Far-Right Pushes Vote on Default Online Block for Adult Content
Next Monday, Italy’s Camera, their equivalent to the House of Representatives, is due to vote on a lengthy piece of legislation concerning wiretapping and several other issues. Simone Pillon, a representative from the far-right Lega party, has inserted an amendment requiring all adult sites be automatically blocked by device manufacturers and at the ISP level, with subscribers having to call in individually and request the block to be lifted.
Kenyan Official Blames Online Porn for Teen Pregnancy Crisis, Asks for Ban
The Kenyan cabinet official in charge of education, George Magoha, has called for the banning of all porn sites, blaming them for the African nation’s teenage pregnancy crisis.
Trump's DOJ, GOP Senators Present Projects Aimed at Section 230 Protections
Two separate projects, from the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) and by Republican senators, were released yesterday proposing modifications to Section 230 of the federal communications act, known by Free Speech advocates as “the First Amendment of the internet.”
Adult Industry Attorney J.D. Obenberger Passes Away
First Amendment attorney J.D. Obenberger, a noted specialist in adult industry issues and a self-described “advocate of liberty in general,” passed away Saturday at age 66, according to family sources.
Instacart Pressured Into Confusing Partnership With Anti-Porn Group NCOSE
Last week, the National Center On Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a leading War On Porn organization, pressured grocery-delivery giant Instacart to add the religiously inspired activist group as a “safety resource” to its popular app.
Is Trump's 'Online Censorship' Executive Order Good or Bad for Adult? An XBIZ Explainer
Trump's executive order issued yesterday bears the title “Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship.” The wording might suggest to the adult entertainment business that the president is taking a stance on Free Speech, which could be beneficial to open sexual expression.
Trump Executive Order Targets Section 230, the 'First Amendment of the Internet'
A draft of the executive order announced yesterday by Donald Trump via Twitter in response to the platform’s attempt to fact-check his tweets proposes a radical modification of Section 230, the so-called “First Amendment of the Internet.”
Full Text of Donald Trump's 'Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship'
The White House website has published the official text of Donald Trump's executive order titled "Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship."
U.K. Politician Named 'Cummings' Shadowbanned by Twitter's Anti-Porn Filter
The latest victim of Twitter’s unnecessarily secretive censorship policy regarding sexual content is not, for a change, an adult performer, but a publicly pilloried U.K. politician surnamed Cummings.
Everything You Wanted to Know About Platforms' 'Restricted Content,' in Spreadsheet Form
Last August, performer Sophie Ladder noticed that different content platforms had different notions of what they considered “restricted content.”
Instagram, Facebook Moderation Now Regulated by Self-Appointed 'Oversight Board'
Earlier this month, as the world was preoccupied with adapting to the new challenges of the post-COVID-19 reality, Facebook announced it had established an international entity named “the Oversight Board” to make decisions about free speech and content moderation on its platforms, which include Instagram.
Michigan Judge: These Are 'No Ordinary Times' to Discriminate Against Adult Businesses
An Eastern Michigan court decision on Monday established that local strip clubs should be eligible for the Payment Protection Program (PPP) administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the U.S. Congress-approved COVID-19 relief package, regardless of the “prurient clause” included as part of the application.
Catholic Bishops Pressure Justice Department to Revive Obscenity Task Force
A group of Catholic bishops wrote a letter to the Department of Justice last Thursday urging Attorney General William Barr to revive its Obscenity Prosecution Task Force to target the legal adult entertainment industry in the U.S.
Spokesperson: SBA Will 'Probably Not' Waive Loan Exclusion for 'Prurient' Sex Businesses
A spokesperson for the Small Business Administration (SBA) told news site Buzzfeed that the federal agency will “probably not” waive the language explicitly excluding “prurient” sex workers and sex businesses from CARES disaster relief application.
APAG's Alana Evans Pens Op-Ed Calling SBA Loan Application 'Discriminatory'
Alana Evans, president of the Adult Performers Actors Guild (APAG) penned an op-ed for mainstream news site The Daily Beast about “how discriminatory it is that the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus excludes sex workers.”
Debate Over SBA Loan's 'Sex Business Exclusion' Hinges on Obscure Word 'Prurient'
The debate over whether sex workers and sex-oriented businesses can apply for federal disaster relief loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)’s “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security” (CARES) program continues, with a focus on the interpretation of the word “prurient.”
Disaster Relief Application Explicitly Excludes 'Prurient' Sex Workers, Adult Businesses
The federal application for COVID-19-related disaster relief for small businesses, issued by the Trump administration’s U.S. Small Business Administration (USSBA) this week, explicitly disqualifies any sex worker or sex oriented business who may derive income from “presenting live performances of a prurient sexual nature” or “through the sale of products or services, or the presentation of any depictions or displays, of a prurient sexual nature.