Obscenity
National Conservatism Conference Panelist Confirms Age Verification Laws Are Path to Total Porn Ban
This year’s National Conservatism Conference in Washington hosted a “Big Tech and Big Porn” panel earlier this week, during which a spokesperson for the right-wing Ethics and Public Policy Center confirmed that the age verification laws currently being promoted around the country by religious conservatives are merely a step toward the ultimate goal of a total ban of porn.
Oklahoma Republican Seeks to Criminalize Watching Adult Content
Republican state lawmaker Dusty Deevers is using a national press tour to promote a bill he proposed that would completely outlaw adult content in Oklahoma and make it a crime for anyone in the state to view it.
Sen. Mike Lee Introduces Bill to Expand Utah's Anti-Porn AV Law Nationwide
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Tuesday reintroduced his proposal for a federal age-verification law that would expand Utah’s anti-porn legislation, promoted by religious conservatives, to the entire United States.
Washington Post Links Trump Campaign With Plan to Criminalize All Porn Creators, Distributors
The Washington Post published on Monday an in-depth report linking the current Trump presidential campaign with “Project 2025,” a coalition of conservative organizations whose road map for the next Republican presidential administration includes a call to immediately outlaw all pornography and imprison people who produce and distribute it.
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.
Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Hold Online Events on Censorship, Obscenity
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation is set to host a series of three online events focusing on art censorship in the current environment.
Out-of-State Religious Conservative Activists File Brief Supporting Anti-Porn Texas Law
An extreme-right Virginia attorney with Trump links, acting on behalf of an obscure organization led by a Colorado-based religious conservative activist and former child actor, has filed a lengthy brief in a federal appeals court in Texas, supporting the state’s controversial new age verification and mandatory labeling law.
Texas Interim Attorney General Argues All Adult Content is 'Obscene,' Not Protected by 1st Amendment
Texas’ interim attorney general, Angela Colmenero, on Tuesday issued a response to the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) lawsuit against the state’s controversial age verification law, contending that adult content is “obscene” and therefore not entitled to First Amendment protections.
Texas Prosecutor Accused of Abuse of Power for Netflix Censorship Attempt
A coalition of broadcasters, journalists and publishers this week told a Fifth Circuit appeals panel that Tyler County District Attorney Lucas Babin acted in bad faith and abused his powers by manipulating a Texas grand jury into indicting Netflix for promoting the award-winning film “Cuties.”
Louisiana Passes Religious Republican's New Anti-Porn Law
The Louisiana Senate on Monday unanimously passed new legislation creating more liability for adult websites, introduced by the religious Republican lawmaker behind the state’s controversial age verification law.
Rolling Stone Surveys Ongoing Republican War on Porn
Rolling Stone magazine this week published a report on the ongoing anti-porn crusades in Republican-controlled states.
Arkansas Age Verification Bill Clears State House
Arkansas’ SB 66, a Republican bill that would require age verification before “entering a website offering pornography,” cleared the state House last week.
Indonesian Police Arrest, Publicly Shame 2 Women for Camming
West Jakarta police arrested and publicly shamed two young Indonesian women for nude camming earlier this week, charging them with pornography.
Arkansas Age Verification Bill Amended Over Confusing Language
The Arkansas House approved yesterday an amendment to SB 66, a Republican bill that would require age verification before “entering a website offering pornography,” over confusing language.
North Dakota Republicans' Bill Proposes Total 'Obscenity Control'
A partisan bill introduced by North Dakota Republican state senators would redefine “obscene material and performance” and “explicit sexual material” in extremely broad terms that would result in creating criminal liability for almost all instances of nudity and references to sex outside of adult venues.
Republican's Anti-Drag Bill Redefining 'Prurient' Passes Montana House
The Montana House has endorsed a Republican bill aimed at restricting drag shows, which includes a legal redefinition of the term “prurient” as “having a tendency to excite lustful thoughts.”
Tennessee Legislature Redefines 'Obscenity and Pornography' to Target Drag Shows
The Tennessee legislature today passed a bill expanding the state’s definition of “obscenity and pornography” to criminalize anyone who “engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”
Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee Introduces Bill to Outlaw All Porn Nationwide
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) this week introduced the Interstate Obscenity Definition Act, a bill that nominally aims to “establish a national definition of obscenity” but which would, in effect, outlaw all online sexual content nationwide.
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Steps Up Crusade Against 'Salacious Pornography'
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has clashed with the St. Louis County Public Library as he pursues his current campaign against what he calls “materials that appeal to the prurient interest of any minor.”
Florida Seeking to Redefine Sex Censorship Language
The Republican-run state government of Florida is stepping up efforts to redefine legal and policy terminology in a campaign to censor free speech concerning sexuality.