War On Porn
Google Will Start Blurring 'Explicit' Search Images by Default
Google today announced plans to begin automatically blurring in search results, by default, images the company considers “explicit."
France to Require Government Certificate to View Adult Content Online
France’s Minister for Digital Affairs confirmed yesterday that a government-issued “digital certificate” certifying the person’s age will be necessary to view all adult content on line starting in September.
Utah Republicans Continue Introducing Controversial Age Verification Bills
Republican state legislators in Utah have introduced two controversial age verification bills that could have nationwide ramifications.
Breitbart Attacks FCC Nominee Over Activism Against Sex Censorship
Right-wing news site Breitbart.com is attempting to derail the confirmation of Gigi Sohn, President Joe Biden’s nominee for a seat on the FCC, by attacking her activism against censorship of sexual content.
West Virginia Republican Seeks to Redefine 'Obscene' and 'Prurient'
A controversial West Virginia state senator introduced this month two bills attempting to redefine “obscene matter” and “prurient interest” in the state, in an effort to censor sexual content.
FSC Warns Against 'Most Aggressive' Nationwide Censorship Campaign
Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released an online guide tracking new anti-porn age verification laws and bills in multiple states, in a wave of what the trade organization has called “the most aggressive censorship we've seen in decades.”
Mississippi Republican Introduces Copycat Age Verification Bill
A Republican state senator in Mississippi has introduced a copycat bill patterned after the Louisiana state law that mandates age verification for websites featuring pornographic content.
Republicans Move Forward With Redefinition of 'Prurient Interest' in Arkansas
Democratic state senators and LGBTQ+ advocates in Arkansas are raising concerns that a proposed bill targeting drag performances would limit the rights of transgender people and also redefine the legal concept of “prurient interest,” which is at the core of recent Republican attempts to reinstate obscenity prosecutions.
Republicans Introduce 'Age Verification' Bill in Arkansas
Two Republican state senators in Arkansas introduced a bill this week requiring age verification before “entering a website offering pornography.”
Oversight Board Questions Instagram's Nudity, 'Sexual Solicitation' Standards
Meta’s Oversight Board — a panel of experts selected by the company to deliberate on content decisions — released a decision this week recommending the company clarify arbitrary and vague definitions concerning nudity, sexual activity and sexual solicitation.
Louisianans Forced to Enter Government ID to Look at Porn Online
People in Louisiana who wish to visit adult websites are now required to enter their government ID, following the implementation of a controversial new state law promoted by a religious activist and Republican legislator, which came into effect Sunday.
Louisiana's Controversial 'Age Verification' Law Goes Into Effect Sunday
As questions linger regarding the imminent implementation of a controversial Louisiana law requiring “age verification” for adult content online, the religiously motivated Republican legislator and anti-porn crusader who spearheaded it continues her promotional campaign on behalf of it.
Texas Attorney General Files Brief to Narrow Section 230 Protections
Texas’ Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton filed an amicus brief yesterday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to radically narrow the scope of Section 230 protection for websites.
Thai Authorities Charge Soap Opera Actress With Operating Porn Site
Thai police have reported seizing around $20 million in assets from a couple accused of running an adult website, among other online businesses.
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.
Wired Publishes Opinion Piece Stigmatizing Adult Content, Sex Work
Wired Magazine published an online opinion piece today by Virgina Heffernan, who deploys a number of stigmatizing and stereotypical tropes about sex work and depictions of sex in the course of speculating about the future of Twitter.
Cherie DeVille Warns Against J.D. Vance's Anti-Porn Crusade
Cherie DeVille has penned an editorial for the Daily Beast, warning about ongoing anti-porn crusading by Ohio’s Senator-elect J. D. Vance.
FSC Meets With Congress Over Banking Discrimination
FSC staff this week met with key House and Senate offices in a series of meetings discussing banking discrimination against the adult industry.
Canada: Senator Forces Age Verification Measure Targeting 'Sexual Activity' Depictions
A Canadian senator and anti-porn crusader who has collaborated with religiously motivated U.S. conservative groups has inserted a controversial amendment into a pending bill, requiring platforms to enact age verification systems if they allow any depictions of sexual content.
Instagram Launches New Tool Notifying Users Who Have Been Shadow-Banned
In a move away from Meta’s longtime policy of denying the existence of "shadow bans," Instagram has launched a new tool to let users know if their posts are “barred from being recommended to other users.”