Lawrence G. Walters
Attorney Lawrence G. Walters to Moderate #SexTalkTuesday
#SexTalkTuesday has announced that First Amendment expert and adult industry attorney Lawrence G. Walters, of Walters Law Group, will serve as guest moderator for this week's edition of the Twitter-based chat show to discuss the legal issues "currently impacting content creators and the wider adult industry" from 5-6 p.m. (PDT).
Adult Content Production and Sex Trafficking Laws
For years, opponents of the adult entertainment industry have attempted to link pornography to sex trafficking.
Legal Issues Pop Up When Filming Sex in Public
Increasingly, our law firm is asked about the legality of filming nudity or explicit sex scenes in public.
2017 Outlook: Legal Matters Around the Corner
The adult entertainment business’ legal community recently weighed in the top issues that companies and the industry, as a whole, should be concerned about.
Visa Cracks Down on ‘Shell’ Billing Firms
There was a time not so long ago when website operators created billing companies in favorable jurisdictions, whose sole purpose was to bill customers for services provided by the operator and remit the settled funds to the operator.
Va. County Loosens Adult Zoning Restrictions
It will be easier for brick-and-mortar adult entertainment venues and retailers to open up shop in the Virginia county of Isle of Wight.
Legal Options to Address Pirated Cam Performances
Many webcam performers have experienced a new trend in online piracy — the illegal recording and publication of live webcam performances. The “business model” is disturbingly simple: sign up to purchase or view a live webcam performance on any number of webcam networks ...
Business Models Can Trigger Regulatory Compliance
Adult website operators are typically familiar with the obligations imposed by Title 18 U.S.C. § 2257 (Section 2257) which mandates the compilation and maintenance of certain records relating to the production of sexually explicit content.
Backpage Wins TRO After Credit Card Chokehold
A federal judge today approved a temporary restraining order against Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart after Backpage.com alleged he employed backdoor methods to pressure credit card companies to stop processing its adult services ads.
Law of Sex: ‘The War on Porn’ Is Rebranded
On October 8, 2014, ThinkProgress.com declared the end to the War on Porn. The censors had lost and erotic media would live on. One sign that the war had been lost was the fact that annual contributions to the well-known anti-erotica group, Morality in Media, had dwindled from over $1 million in 2001 to just over $20,000 in 2005.
Ask the Attorneys: What Lies Around the Corner in 2015?
Hacking, malicious attacks, data theft and piracy were making headlines in 2014 on a daily basis and I believe that in 2015 the trend will continue. Regardless of their motives, hackers and pirates continue to adapt to advancements in data security and become more aggressive.
Dominatrix a Victim of Public’s Keen Interest in ‘Fifty Shades,’ Attorney Says
The operator of a BDSM-training business in Orlando has become the victim of the public's keen interest in “Fifty Shades of Grey” after a local TV news program, acting on a tip of a dominatrix working from her home, whipped up a probe of her alleged home-based business.
Japanese 3D 'Vagina Artist' Faces 'Obscenity' Charges
Megumi Igarashi, the artist who was arrested in July for distributing 3D printable design files of her vagina, was charged with violating Japan's "obscenity" laws today.
QuickDMCA App: Making Infringement Enforcement Easier
Industry attorney Lawrence Walters has launched his second legal productivity app: QuickDMCA, which focuses on DMCA infringement notifications. QuickDMCA is now available for both the Apple and Android devices, and promises to make copyright enforcement easy, Walters said.
Live Webcam Legal Portal Makes Debut
Walters Law Group today launched WebCamLaws.com, a site focused on addressing the legal needs of the live webcam industry.
Alternative Currency; Is Regulation in Store?
Hardly a day goes by without some headline referring to developments in legal status or use of alternative currency such as bitcoin. At times it seems the virtual currency is nearly taking over the Internet. How, though, will this new trend affect the adult entertainment industry?
Placing Regulations on Adult Sites
As stories of the government’s assault on the adult industry based on obscenity prosecutions and 2257 inspections fade into legend, a new legal boogieman may be waiting in the shadows. It is known by several names including the “FTC,” state “Consumer Protection Divisions,” or the “Better Business Bureau.”
Live Cams: Multitasking in the Modern Era
At its most basic level, the live webcam phenomenon is merely the next technological extension of the live phone sex craze that started in the 1980s.
Trending Legal Issues With Dating Sites
While modern adult content producers struggle with issues like piracy and waning profitability, the online dating market continues to grow in popularity. Although the business model has been around for years, widespread accessibility to webcams and high speed broadband connections has allowed dating sites to become richly populated with homegrown erotic content. The insatiable human desire to connect, flirt, find romance, or just plain “hook up,” has continued to drive the popularity of both adult and mainstream online dating sites. Dating site operators encounter many of the same legal concerns as typical adult content producers, such as obscenity, 18 U.S.C, § 2257 compliance, age verification, and child exploitation concerns, but they must also wrestle with a host of independent legal issues that are unique to their industry.
Dangerous Intersections
Could a webcam model also be a paid escort and an active member of a “hookup” dating site? Naturally, the answer is “yes,” but at what costs? Blurring the lines between these adult-themed user categories creates an uncharted hybrid of legal exposure, for both, the individual model/escort and those operating the associated websites. However, more and more frequently, we’re seeing this sort of crossover in the live webcam, escort and casual dating industries.