opinion

Girls Gone Mild

By now, most of you have heard about the Girls Gone Wild plea bargain over 2257 violations which netted them a $2.1 million dollar fine. Almost immediately, I posted a comment in a board thread along the lines of “I wonder how many webmasters still won’t ‘get it’?” Again, almost immediately, came a response along the lines of “It was only because the government saw how much money they were making and wanted a cut!”

Yep, it didn’t take long at all to see that some folks still don’t get it…

An obvious target for scrutiny if ever there was one, I’m not surprised that GGW had the feds come down on them. After all, those endless TV ads showing inebriated girls who aren’t in any condition to (legally) sign legal documents, bouncing around and being naughty at all hours of the day, were bound to raise a few eyebrows.

Beyond that, it’s doubtless that a few of those girls really weren’t of age (or at least conveniently “forgot” their IDs), and/or were daughters of agents or otherwise inflamed, influential players that were aghast at how their child was spending the pile of money she “needed for books” by going to spring break instead.

From the DOJ’s viewpoint, this was a fortunate and satisfying victory with a major cash settlement that will no doubt look much better to the department’s Congressional critics than does a handful of inspections that all reportedly resulted in “passes.” From the viewpoint of the many outraged parents who are offended by these constant commercials, the victory must also be quite satisfying.

Indeed, Bill O’Reilly covered the story on his FOX News show last night, offering his own opinion and allowing two guest commentators (both women) to express their views as well. O’Reilly, ever the pragmatist, opined that he thought the department had much better things to spend their time and resources on, like chasing al-Qaeda (a view I agree with wholeheartedly). His attitude was basically “Who cares if a college girl who might be 17-and-three-quarters wants to be in these silly videos? This is all a waste of time!”

His guests had other opinions, however. The sensible one felt that since there are laws on the books, the government has a responsibility to enforce those laws, but pretty much left it at that. The token liberal, on the other hand, surprised O’Reilly, since most liberals are thought to embrace adult entertainment, but she felt that the GGW producers are “sleazy” and that the government should make it as hard as possible for anyone to do business in this “sleazy” industry. “It’s not a liberal view; it’s a feminist one” she offered.

The two morals of the story being: don’t forget your paperwork – and don’t think that liberals will give this industry a pass…

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

How to Avoid the Hidden Risks of AI-Generated Legal Documents

Artificial intelligence can write a contract in seconds, but that does not mean it can write the contract your business actually needs. Across the adult industry, operators, creators and producers are increasingly using generative AI to prepare model releases, performer agreements, privacy policies, takedown notices, employment documents and responses to regulators. The appeal is obvious: Legal work is expensive, AI is fast and the resulting document often looks impressively professional. That polished appearance is exactly what makes the practice dangerous.

Corey Silverstein ·
profile

Anastasia's Bedroom Founder Chelsea Mani Bridges Ecommerce With Local Events

Chelsea Mani spends her weekends at local markets, where she displays an assortment of lingerie ranging from new lace bodysuits and silky robes to carefully sourced, cleaned and pressed vintage pieces. Passersby stop to examine the fabrics, ask questions and sometimes find themselves opening up unexpectedly.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

Karla Lane Talks Curves, Confidence and Career Longevity

With her killer curves poured into a slinky silver dress, longtime performer Karla Lane swept onto the XMAs stage in Miami earlier this year to claim the trophy for BBW Premium Social Media Star. As she ascended the steps, presenter and fellow performer Vicki Chase purred, "Come on, big mama," in a playful nod to Latto's viral anthem.

Jackie Backman ·
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.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Creator Tips for Turning AI Prompts Into Effective Promos

Creating great content is only half the job. Every photo set, clip, custom video, pay-per-view message, bundle and subscription offer still needs to be marketed, and finding fresh ways to promote the same material can become just as exhausting as creating it.

Megan Stokes ·
profile

Protecting Your Reputation, Privacy and Peace as a Creator

As an adult creator, your online reputation can directly affect bookings, brand partnerships, fan relationships and future opportunities. A leaked post, a troll campaign, an out-of-context screenshot, or a hostile interaction can damage the brand you have built and disrupt your peace of mind. People say this business requires thick skin, but what you really need is steel with a Teflon coating: strong enough to take the hits and slick enough to keep the nonsense from sticking.

Lana Del Bae ·
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.

Lawrence G. Walters ·
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.

Cathy Beardsley ·
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.

Jonathan Corona ·
profile

Staying Power: Justin Ross on Two Decades of Building Screaming O

Ironically, it was a single-use, disposable vibrating ring that became the foundation of The Screaming O, transforming a basic foil pouch into the launchpad for a pleasure-product brand that has endured for over two decades.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
Show More