FOSTA-SESTA
Missouri Republican Behind FOSTA-SESTA Renews Attack on OnlyFans
Rep. Ann Wagner, the Missouri Republican legislator who was the original architect of FOSTA-SESTA, has renewed her call for federal action against OnlyFans.
Jury Reaches Mixed Verdict in Backpage Owner, Execs Trial
The jury in the federal retrial in Arizona of former Backpage.com owner Mike Lacey and some of the company’s executives reached a verdict Thursday, finding Lacey guilty on one count of international concealment money laundering.
Court Rules Against Woodhull in FOSTA Appeal
The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld the district court’s judgment against the Woodhull Freedom Foundation in its four-year legal battle to have FOSTA-SESTA declared unconstitutional, and rejected the strict scrutiny challenge proposed by free speech advocates.
Appeals Court Hears Arguments in FOSTA-SESTA Challenge
A federal appeals panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments yesterday in the Woodhull Freedom Foundation’s four-year legal battle to have FOSTA-SESTA declared unconstitutional.
Woodhull Files New Reply Brief Challenging FOSTA
Woodhull Freedom Foundation has filed a reply brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the latest action in the organization's four-year legal battle to have FOSTA-SESTA declared unconstitutional.
Criminal Conviction Under FOSTA Triggers Adult Industry Worries
Wilhan Martono, a San Francisco-area man who owned the adult classified ads website CityXGuide, pleaded guilty and was sentenced by a Texas court on Monday to more than eight years in prison for violating FOSTA-SESTA, with a 60-month concurrent sentence for conspiracy to violate the Travel Act.
9th Circuit Panel Denies Double-Jeopardy Dismissal in Backpage.com Case
A three-judge Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel has upheld a lower court's denial to dismiss the case against the former owners of Backpage.com.
Woodhull Files New Brief Challenging Constitutionality of FOSTA-SESTA
Woodhull Freedom Foundation has filed an appellate brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the latest action in the organization's four-year legal battle to have FOSTA-SESTA declared unconstitutional.
Art News Site 'Hyperallergic' Tackles Instagram Censorship Over Bogus 'Sexual Solicitation'
Prominent art news site Hyperallergic has published an essay targeting Instagram's controversial practice of censoring sexual content by inaccurately labeling posts as “sexual solicitation.”
Woodhull Files Appeal in FOSTA-SESTA Challenge Suit
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has filed an appeal in its suit challenging the constitutionality of FOSTA-SESTA.
Prism Highlights Role of Sex Workers, Educators in Censorship Fight
Independent news outlet Prism published a report today highlighting how sex workers and sex educators are leading the call for clearer rules for online engagement, to prevent censorship and erasure.
DC Court Upholds FOSTA-SESTA, Rejects Free-Speech Challenge
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected a legal challenge to FOSTA-SESTA presented by First Amendment and free speech advocates, ruling that the U.S. government can continue enforcing the controversial legislation.
Digital Rights Activist Evan Greer Pens Op-Ed on 'Big Tech' Reform, Sex Worker Rights
Digital rights activist Evan Greer, deputy director for tech advocacy group Fight for the Future, has penned an op-ed for the Daily Beast arguing that politicians aiming to “fix Big Tech” should stop ignoring sex workers.
Democrats Introduce 'SAFE SEX Workers Study Act' to Review FOSTA-SESTA Effects
Last week, several Democratic members of Congress sponsored legislation, both in the Senate and the House, aimed at investigating the effectiveness of FOSTA-SESTA in its purported mission of fighting human trafficking.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Section 230 Case Against Facebook
The Supreme Court declined today to settle a question presented by a Jane Doe looking to establish Facebook’s liability in a case where she alleges that she was “sex trafficked as a minor” because the social media platform “connected her with a sex trafficker.”
Judge Dismisses Backpage.com-Related Lawsuit Against Salesforce
A California appeals court sided with Salesforce last week and dismissed a lawsuit by 50 “Jane Does” claiming that the cloud-based software company was liable for their alleged sex trafficking because it had provided services to the now-defunct classifieds site Backpage.com.
Woodhull Freedom Foundation Denounces Anti-Porn Campaign
The Woodhull Freedom Foundation has released an official statement about the campaign that resulted in OnlyFans' policy change — later reversed after sex worker outcry — to ban sexually explicit content.
Rep. Ann Wagner Asks for OnlyFans Investigation, Calls All Sex Work 'Illegal'
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), the religious-right Republican legislator who was the original drafter of FOSTA-SESTA, has released a letter to the Justice Department asking for an investigation into OnlyFans, claiming — without offering any clear evidence — that the platform has “become a major marketplace for buying and selling Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in the United States, as well as soliciting sexual activity with minors.”
Google Bans 'Sugar Dating' Apps From Android Play Store
Google has announced that so-called "sugar dating" apps will be struck from the Android Play Store as of September 1, in an update to its content policy that specifically bans content that deals with "compensated sexual relationships."
Industry Attorney Stephan Ferris to Lead Queer-Focused FOSTA-SESTA Webinar
Adult industry attorney Stephan Ferris (aka performer Blue Bailey) is hosting a free webinar titled "F*ck Your Community Standards! SESTA-FOSTA, Social Media & Adult Content Online" Wednesday, August 4, at 7:30 p.m. (PDT).