Feature Articles
How Rolling Reserves Affect Cash Flow and Merchant Stability
opinion
How Rolling Reserves Affect Cash Flow and Merchant Stability
You log in to your payment processor’s dashboard, discover they are withholding 10% of your sales, and immediately assume something has gone wrong. In reality, everything is working exactly as intended.
What Federal Age Verification Could Mean for Adult Websites
opinion
What Federal Age Verification Could Mean for Adult Websites
Our industry has grappled with a patchwork of confusing and burdensome state age verification laws for the past couple of years. But that landscape could change quickly after the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act (H.R. 7757) by a vote of 267-117, marking a significant federal step into this space.
The Website Footer Requirements Every Adult Merchant Should Know
opinion
The Website Footer Requirements Every Adult Merchant Should Know
Since I started in this business 25 years ago, I've watched website footers evolve from a simple collection of links designed to help with SEO into important tools for meeting compliance and regulatory requirements, improving the customer experience and reducing chargebacks.
Why E-Payment Diversification Matters for Merchant Stability
opinion
Why E-Payment Diversification Matters for Merchant Stability
Match payment methods to your customers. Look at where your customers are located, how they prefer to pay and which products they purchase. A business with significant European traffic may benefit from SEPA or Pay by Bank, while a subscription-based business may prioritize ACH or cryptocurrency. Add the payment methods your customers are most likely to use, as not every option is available.
Key Questions Online Merchants Should Know About PCI Compliance
opinion
Key Questions Online Merchants Should Know About PCI Compliance
Choosing a payment provider involves more than comparing features and pricing. It's also about trusting that your customers' payment information is being handled securely. Every August, Segpay is recertified as a Level 1 PCI-compliant service provider, a milestone the company has achieved for the past 20 years. Having helped write Segpay's original PCI policy documents more than two decades ago, I've seen firsthand how PCI compliance has evolved.
How to Safeguard Your Website Against CIPA Claims
opinion
How to Safeguard Your Website Against CIPA Claims
There is a new wave of lawsuits targeting online businesses, including adult websites. These suits involve the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and they are becoming increasingly prevalent. In fact, three different clients of my law firm were recently served or threatened with CIPA lawsuits — all in the same week.
How Clear Talent Contracts Can Save Time and Money
opinion
How Clear Talent Contracts Can Save Time and Money
The adult industry has always been defined by its ability to evolve. It embraced online distribution before much of mainstream entertainment did, pioneered subscription-based business models, and continues to evolve in areas ranging from streaming to AI.
What Mastercard's Specialty Fee Overhaul Means for Merchants
opinion
What Mastercard's Specialty Fee Overhaul Means for Merchants
For business owners in the adult and specialty spaces, the rules have always been written in someone else’s office. The latest Mastercard changes are no exception, though there are practical ways merchants can begin preparing now.
What to Know About Content Restrictions Across Global Markets
opinion
What to Know About Content Restrictions Across Global Markets
Throughout 2025, age verification remained a major focus as merchants worked to meet the requirements of 26 U.S. states, country-specific regulations in France, the UK, and Italy, and evolving guidance from the European Commission.
Key Strategies for Building an Effective Website Compliance Program
opinion
Key Strategies for Building an Effective Website Compliance Program
For adult website operators, compliance can no longer live in a folder that only opens when a bank, regulator, attorney, or payment processor starts asking questions.
Lessons From Decades of Building the Adult Internet
opinion
Lessons From Decades of Building the Adult Internet
After my first year of college, I needed a job. So I did what people did back then: I opened the newspaper and started scanning the classifieds. One listing stood out: “Image Librarian.” I had no idea what that meant, but I applied, and got the job.
How to Build a Cross-Border Payment Strategy
opinion
How to Build a Cross-Border Payment Strategy
Pull up your analytics and you’ll likely find that international traffic is already on your site. Some of those visitors convert, but a lot more bounced at checkout — and a meaningful chunk tried to pay but were declined.
The KPIs That Keep Payment Processing Humming While You're Away
opinion
The KPIs That Keep Payment Processing Humming While You're Away
I always look forward to the summer as my kids are home and I can plan little trips with them to reconnect and have some fun. If you’re like me, however, you probably never go on vacation without your laptop, so you can check in or lurk in the background to make sure all systems remain go.
What Utah's SB 73 Means for Compliance Requirements
opinion
What Utah's SB 73 Means for Compliance Requirements
Utah has once again positioned itself at the center of the national battle over online age verification and adult-content regulation.
Breaking Down AI-Powered Moderation and Platform Safety
opinion
Breaking Down AI-Powered Moderation and Platform Safety
Adult platforms, including content sites, cam services and dating apps, consistently face a range of high-risk challenges. These include verifying consent, particularly for user-uploaded content, addressing nonconsensual material such as leaks and so-called revenge porn, and ensuring effective age verification and protection for minors. At the same time, platforms must manage content moderation at scale while addressing payment fraud, scams, harassment and user abuse.
How to Optimize Subscription Billing for Compliance and Stability
opinion
How to Optimize Subscription Billing for Compliance and Stability
The Federal Trade Commission’s “click to cancel” rule is coming back around. Last year, a federal appeals court vacated the FTC’s Negative Option Rule, aimed at addressing deceptive or unfair practices and making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions.
Key Strategies for Streamlining Payment Processing Approval
opinion
Key Strategies for Streamlining Payment Processing Approval
Why is it taking so long to get my account approved? It's frustrating for everyone involved, but it's all part of the process. Over the past year, timelines have stretched to 60 days or more for merchants to complete onboarding, from internal compliance review to banking partner approval and final card brand registration.
What to Know About Alabama's Regulatory Push on Adult Content
opinion
What to Know About Alabama's Regulatory Push on Adult Content
Over the past two years, Alabama has quietly but aggressively transformed itself into one of the most restrictive and unfriendly jurisdictions for the adult entertainment industry. Through the enactment of House Bill 164 and related enforcement mechanisms, the state has layered taxation, compliance burdens and content restrictions in a way that goes far beyond traditional regulation.
What to Know About Deepfakes, Likeness Rights, and Digital Consent
opinion
What to Know About Deepfakes, Likeness Rights, and Digital Consent
AI is reshaping virtually every sector of the global economy, and the adult industry is no exception. Many adult companies have already explored or adopted AI in content production, and surveys indicate that around 65% have considered implementing AI technologies in their operations.
Key Strategies for Adapting to Stricter PCI Compliance Standards
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opinion
Key Strategies for Adapting to Stricter PCI Compliance Standards
When it comes to PCI compliance, the days of simply filling out some paperwork and answering a few questions are gone. A casual approach is just not viable anymore.
