Censorship
New Japanese Law Would Enable All Porn Performers to Void Contracts
A legislative debate about lowering the age of legal majority in Japan, which quickly devolved into a sensationalist campaign about adult performers aged 18-19, has now morphed into a proposed new law under which anyone who signs a contract to appear in “pornographic productions” could void that contract at any time for any reason.
French Senators Propose Treating Adult Content 'Like Terrorism or CSAM'
New details surfaced today about a French media regulatory agency's plan to block all major free adult sites in the country, in response to a controversial age verification law.
OnlyFans CFO Admits Underestimating 'Strength' of Adult Creator Community
OnlyFans’ Chief Financial Officer revealed today that he had "underestimated the strength” of OnlyFans’ adult creator community during the controversy caused by the platform’s 2021 decision, later reversed, to ban adult content.
India: Cybercrime Police Admit Porn Ban Encourages Blackmail
An official with India’s cybercrime police agency has acknowledged an upsurge in cases of criminals blackmailing people for watching adult content online, thanks to local laws that make such viewing illegal.
India's Government Prepares to Ramp Up Online Censorship
India’s increasingly powerful Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology yesterday published proposed new rules that would give the government sweeping control over social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit, digital news publications and streaming sites — including the power to punish them for “porn” and “obscenity.”
Arizona Republican Paul Gosar Questions Free Speech Status of Porn
Arizona Republican congressman Paul Gosar made comments on social media Wednesday questioning longstanding jurisprudence protecting sexual expression as free speech under the First Amendment.
Spanish Politicians Try to Outlaw Consensual Sex Work, Including Porn
Spanish sex workers and adult industry figures are sounding the alarm about a proposed new law, supported by politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties, aiming to outlaw all forms of paid sex work — including commercial pornography.
West Virginia Governor Blames 'Pornography' for Texas School Shootings
The Republican governor of West Virginia, Jim Justice, made statements yesterday blaming “access to pornography” as one of the main causes of mass shootings like the Uvalde, Texas massacre of 19 children and two teachers.
Supreme Court Puts Texas Online Platform Liability Law on Hold
In an unusual 5-4 vote that did not follow ideological lines, the Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a controversial Texas social media law that would have made social media platforms liable for moderating content based on what the law defined as “viewpoints.”
Ohio Republican Senate Candidate JD Vance Calls for 'Outright Ban' on Porn
Recent coverage of Ohio Republican J.D. Vance, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, has foregrounded a year-old interview with a Catholic publication where he calls for an “outright ban” on porn.
Local German Anti-Porn Crusader Plans to Expand Surveillance Tool to All of Europe
The local official behind the crusade for Germany to require age verification for viewing sexual content is now seeking to expand to all of Europe the use of his new AI tool, KIVI, which automatically scans all online content to determine which images are not compliant with the law.
Virginia Republicans Revive Obscure Anti-Porn Law to Ban Books
Two Republican politicians in Virginia have revived an obscure anti-pornography law not invoked in decades to ask a judge for a restraining order preventing Barnes & Noble from selling certain books the lawmakers find objectionable to minors.
French Court Rejects Religiously Inspired Attempt to Block Top Tube Sites
A Paris court of appeals rejected last week the attempt by local War on Porn groups, led by an extremist Catholic organization, to use France’s media authority and the courts to block the most popular adult tube sites in the country.
11th Circuit Rebukes Bulk of DeSantis' Florida Social Media Law
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling today blocking the major provisions of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ controversial Florida’s social media law, which would have held social media platforms liable for moderation policies in the name of political, but not sexual, "free speech."
Proposed Oklahoma Bill Aims to Outlaw 'Giving Porn to the Homeless'
A strange new bill introduced by Oklahoma State Senator Rob Standridge would make it illegal to knowingly give “obscene material” to a “vulnerable person,” explicitly including unhoused people.
Digital Rights Groups Lambast European Commission's Online Surveillance Proposal
Digital rights and privacy advocates are raising the alarm about an EU legislative proposal unveiled yesterday by the European Commission, allegedly to address “misuse of online services” and “prevent and combat child sexual abuse online.”
5th Circuit Gives Go Ahead to Controversial Texas Social Media Liability Law
A three-judge appeals panel ruled today that an extremely controversial new Texas law making online platforms liable for “viewpoint discrimination” can go into effect immediately.
Progressive German Newspaper Asks for State-Funded 'Educational' Porn
Progressive German publication Taz published an opinion piece last week suggesting that state public media fund “educational” porn as part of their mandate to “protect children,” rather than attempt to censor the commercial variety.
The Atlantic Explores Social Media 'Shadowbanning'
The Atlantic has published an article analyzing the phenomenon of “shadowbanning," including its deployment against sex workers by social media platforms, labeling the practice “Big Tech’s big problem.”
Republican Senators Pressure TV Ratings Board Over 'Disturbing' LGBTQ+ Content
Five Republican senators are demanding an overhaul of the current TV ratings system to include warnings about LGBTQ+ content, which they claim “not only harms children, but also destabilizes and damages parental rights.”