Hackers Rebel Over Porn Filtering

SYDNEY — Hackers took down a number of Australian government websites Wednesday in strategic attacks protesting against a planned Internet filter aimed at online adult content.

The distributed denial of service attacks, reported by the Herald Sun, crippled Australia's parliamentary website as well as its communications unit.

The attacks were launched by hackers known as "Anonymous."

"No government should have the right to refuse its citizens access to information solely because they perceive it to be 'unwanted'," the group said in an email. "The Australian government will learn that one does not mess with our porn."

Fiona Patten of the Australian Sex Party told XBIZ in December that the filter would block 95 percent of adult websites and slow down the web dramatically.

"How your can have a filter blocking access to more than 4 million sites with more than 420 million pages and not slow the Internet down is beyond belief," she said.

Porn censorship in Australia recently has been ramped up, according to Patten.

Just last month, Patten alleged that government censors are directing customs officials to confiscate media where depictions of the female orgasm is accompanied with an ejaculation.

She also complained that some adult videos recently have been rejected by censors because they starred small-breasted women who could be confused as minors and appear underaged.

“We are starting to see depictions of women in their late 20s being banned because they have an A-cup size,” she said.

According to Fiona, the dDOS campaign, dubbed "Operation Titstorm" by its creators, appeared to spring from last month's Sex Party's comments on pornographic censorship of A-cup-sized women.

Related:  

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 News

German High Court Puts Pornhub, YouPorn 'Network Ban' on Hold

A German high court on Friday temporarily barred a state media regulator from ordering internet providers to cut off access to Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn in Germany, pending further action by Cypriot and European Union authorities.

Luxembourg Media Regulator Fines LiveJasmin for AV Noncompliance

The Luxembourg Independent Audiovisual Authority (ALIA) has levied a fine of 25,000 euros (approximately $28,000) against webcam platform LiveJasmin for failing to comply with provisions of the country’s Electronic Media Law.

AdultHTML Introduces Subscription Option for Website Owners

AdultHTML has added a subscription option for its web development service, allowing site owners to pay a monthly fee for access to developers and tools.

French Parliament Rejects Ban on Purchase of 'Remote' Sexual Services

The French National Assembly has backed off from a proposal to criminalize the purchase, and/or facilitation by online platforms, of sexual services performed remotely by streamers and custom content creators.

2027 XBIZ Exec Awards Pre-Nominations Period Opens

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the pre-nomination period for the 2027 XBIZ Exec Awards, the adult industry’s preeminent career honors, begins Wednesday and runs through Oct. 14.

Takedown Piracy Reports Infiltration, Monitoring of Mega.nz

Takedown Piracy has reported that it successfully infiltrated Mega.nz folders and identified and removed nearly two million instances of stolen content.

Pornhub Unblocks Australia Users on iOS Devices, Citing Apple AV Effectiveness

Pornhub parent company Aylo on Tuesday announced that users in Australia will once again be able to access the popular site if they are using Apple devices and have confirmed their age through Apple’s Australian age-verification process.

California Governor Signs Bill Limiting CIPA Claims

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill to narrow the scope of the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), to prevent abusive lawsuits targeting online businesses, including adult websites.

California Enacts Stricter UGC Rules for Adult Sites

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill to impose tighter compliance standards for user-generated content (UGC) on adult websites accessible in California.

Minister: UK Aims to Begin Enforcing 'Choking' Ban Before Year's End

The U.K. will soon begin enforcement of a new law criminalizing depictions of “non-fatal strangulation” in adult content, according to a Ministry of Justice official.

Show More