3 Top ISPs Join N.Y. Attorney General in Pact to Block CP

NEW YORK — Three of the largest Internet service providers have agreed to block newsgroups that traffic in child pornography.

No impact on the adult industry is expected.

Verizon, Sprint and Time Warner all agreed to prohibit the online dissemination of child pornography in a deal that they struck with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

The three telecom giants will shut down access to all newsgroups that traffic in the illegal content, which is traded most prolifically on Usenet, a precursor to the current incarnation of the Internet.

Online guru Brandon Shalton told XBIZ that the only possible way for this ban to have any impact of the adult industry would be if the ISPs in question cast too wide a net and wound up disabling newsgroups for legitimate adult entertainment, but even then the impact would be negligible.

Shalton said that in the past, some paysite owners scavenged for content among newsgroups.

"Some website owners, not wanting to pay for content and wanted to have thousands and thousands of images for their members, would go to the newsgroups to get their images," said Shalton, who founded the traffic analysis service T3Report.com. "This of course is clearly copyright infringement. I haven't heard of anyone doing that these days."

The pact between the three big ISPs and the New York attorney general's office came about from an investigation where police officers posed as consumers and complained to the ISPs about the ease of finding child pornography online. When their complaints resulted in no action, Cuomo's staff got involved.

Online reports indicate that other ISPs will join the initiative.

New York Attorney General Cuomo brokered a similar deal with Facebook to implement safeguards against sexual predators on the social networking giant.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 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 News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More