Global War on Porn
Christian Activists Pressure UK Government to Regulate Adult Creators
Leading U.K. evangelical publication Premier Christianity published an editorial Monday by the acting CEO of its parent company, urging expansion of the Online Safety Act to directly target adult content, especially user-generated content.
Fiji Government to Launch Task Force to Reduce Porn Viewership
Fiji’s government has announced a forthcoming “task force” aiming to reduce porn viewership among its citizens, following a political and media campaign that sensationalized the issue of access to adult material in the island nation.
UK Government Unveils Controversial Age Verification Guidelines for Adult Content
U.K. media regulator Ofcom, the government authority tasked by the recently enacted Online Safety Act with online content restriction enforcement, issued on Tuesday its first guidance to adult websites regarding age verification.
Australian Right Foregrounds Age Verification as Political Wedge Issue
Australia’s conservative Liberal Party and the country’s influential right-wing media have recently begun foregrounding age verification for viewing adult content as a political wedge issue against the Australian Labor Party government led by Prime Minister Norman Albanese.
Italy to Roll Out 'Test' Adult Content Filter Mandate Next Week
Italy will begin enforcing a new, experimental directive from online regulators on Tuesday, requiring all phone providers to install a default filter for certain kinds of content, including all adult content, on SIM cards registered to minors.
German Proposal Aims to Shut Down Financial Services for Adult Sites
German authorities have introduced a proposal to facilitate network blocks against adult sites deemed to have inadequate age verification systems, and also to prohibit financial institutions from providing payment services to those sites.
Chinese Tech Mogul Held by Authorities Over Alleged Adult Content on Video Platform
Chen Shaojie, founder and CEO of DouYu — China’s leading video streaming platform — is being held by Chinese authorities over supposed “pornographic content” on the site.
Ugandan Police Arrest 7 Women Suspected of Making Adult Content
Ugandan police this weekend arrested seven women suspected of producing adult content.
Cambodian Police Stage Mass Arrest of Alleged Porn Producers
Cambodian police on Tuesday arrested more than 30 Chinese nationals in Phnom Penh, charging them with producing adult content, which is illegal in the country.
Spain's Far-Right Vox Party Now Pushing for Mandatory 'Porn Filters'
Spain’s influential far-right Vox party has begun pushing the Madrid legislature to mandate default “porn filters” on devices accessible to minors.
German Media Regulator Moves Forward With Block of Pornhub, Other Tube Sites
Germany's federal media regulator has initiated steps to order a block of Pornhub, YouPorn and MyDirtyHobby, escalating the country’s war against online adult content over age verification, a campaign which has been largely spearheaded by a single local bureaucrat.
France's Parliament Passes Controversial Law to Regulate Online Content, Including Adult
The French National Assembly, the country’s lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday passed the controversial Law Aiming to Secure and Regulate the Digital Space, which includes provisions targeting adult content added during a period of relentless media attacks and panic-mongering against the porn industry.
Australia's Top Online Censor Fines X for Refusing to Answer Moderation Questions
Australia’s top censor, E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, has slapped X.com with a fine of 610,500 Australian dollars (approximately $386,000) for violating the country’s new Online Safety Act.
French Government Report Urges Criminalization of Adult Industry
A sensationalistic report released this week by a French government office is urging immediate state censorship and broad criminalization of the adult industry in France and worldwide.
UK Parliament Passes Controversial 'Online Safety Bill'
The U.K. Parliament on Tuesday passed the much-delayed Online Safety Bill, despite vocal criticisms by virtually all digital rights and free speech organizations and advocates.
Italian Government Pulls Back on Controversial Anti-Porn Language in 'Youth Crime' Bill
The far-right administration of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly pulled back from anti-porn language that had been inserted into a controversial “youth crime” executive order, which was fast-tracked after the media sensationalized specific incidents of sexual assaults.
French Court Postpones Decision on Blocking Adult Sites
The Paris Judicial Tribunal on Friday decided to postpone its decision on whether to order internet service providers in the country to block access to five of the most visited adult tube sites in France.
FSC Appoints Vince Charlton as AV Liaison for UK, Europe
Industry veteran Vince Charlton will join FSC as the organization’s Age Verification Policy Liaison — with a special focus on the U.K. and Europe — as it works to more proactively engage legislators and regulators.
Conservative UK Prime Minister Orders Review of All Porn Laws
Rishi Sunak, the Conservative prime minister of the U.K., has ordered a full review of British pornography laws.
Apple Warns UK Government of Serious Privacy Risks if 'Online Safety Bill' Passes
Apple has issued a statement warning against serious privacy risks that it says would result from the passage of the Online Safety Bill currently being fast-tracked by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.