Censorship
New House Speaker Mike Johnson Vowed to Push Anti-Porn Legislation
The new speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson, elected Wednesday by his GOP colleagues after a weeks-long stalemate, last year vowed to promote anti-porn, anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-sex-education legislation if he ever had the authority.
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.
X Now Shadow-Banning Users for 'Potential' Sexual Content
X.com users have begun reporting instances of Elon Musk’s new shadow-ban transparency policy, under which accounts are flagged by the company without user input for “potentially” containing sensitive media.
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.
Utah Proposes Rule to Check People's Age Online
The state of Utah on Monday released its first proposed rule to regulate how social media platforms verify the age of their users in the state.
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.
Ohio Republican's 'Innocence Act' Could Criminalize Online Nudes
A Republican lawmaker in Ohio introduced this week an age verification bill called the “Innocence Act,” which observers have pointed out that, as submitted, could criminalize the posting of any nude image online without verifying age as a felony.
Alabama Anti-Porn Panic Causes Book to Be Flagged Because Author's Surname is 'Gay'
Amidst out-of-control anti-porn panic mongering in Alabama, a library system added children’s title “Read Me a Story, Stella” to a list of potentially “sexually explicit” books because the author is named Marie-Louise Gay.
Thai Police Conduct New Sex Toy Raid
Thai police have arrested two people for running an underground sex toy business, seizing from their home over 18,000 pleasure products, which are illegal in Thailand.
Judge Partially Dismisses FSC Lawsuit to Stop Louisiana Age Verification Law
A federal judge has granted a motion by Louisiana officials to dismiss part of the lawsuit filed by Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and other plaintiffs seeking to block that state’s age verification law.
Democratic NC Governor Signs Copycat Age Verification Bill Into Law
Democratic governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper ignored the arguments of free speech advocates and signed into law on Monday a bill mandating age verification on adult websites.
North Dakota Republican Calls for Total Criminalization of Adult Content
A North Dakota Republican lawmaker took to Twitter over the weekend to call for the total criminalization of adult content and for all politicians to submit to “the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Conservative AGs Send Letter to Aylo About Supposed Moderation 'Loophole'
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, along with 25 other attorneys general largely from Republican-controlled states, sent an open letter to Pornhub parent company Aylo on Friday demanding the company address a supposed “loophole” that could allow users to post CSAM.
FSC Calls on North Carolina Governor to Veto Age-Verification Bill
Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has sent a letter to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, asking him to veto House Bill 8, to which a Republican legislator attached a copycat age-verification amendment.
Leading Free Speech Groups File Brief Blasting Texas' Age Verification and Mandatory Labeling Law
Several leading free-speech groups, led by the ACLU, urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on Thursday to block the Texas age verification law that requires adult websites to post anti-porn propaganda, contending that this violates the First Amendment.
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.
North Carolina Group Backing Age Verification Bill Admits Law Is Actually 'Anti-Pornography'
A North Carolina religious conservative group backing just-passed age verification legislation, which a Republican state senator snuck into an unrelated bill last week, has admitted the copycat amendment is in fact an “anti-pornography provision.”
New Report Warns Against 'Rising Tide' of Conservative Censorship
A new report published last week by the Chamber of Progress, a U.S. trade group representing many of the leading technology companies, issued an urgent warning against the “rising red tide” of digital censorship promoted by conservatives.