Town Blocks Comcast On-Demand Over Porn

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. — A tiny Chicago suburb has blocked Comcast cable’s on-demand signal citing concerns that the citizens of the town will use the service to watch adult content.

According to South Holland resident Lisa Kozlowski, the town’s decision to block the on-demand signal smacks of censorship. When she confronted town officials about the blocked signal, they said, “You can’t watch porn in South Holland.”

Town officials cited a franchise agreement the community signed with a former cable company in the 1990s that granted the cable operator the right to provide service in the area.

“In keeping with the prevailing community standards and the long established values associated with our motto of faith, family and future, the village has franchise agreements that protect these standards and values,” a town official said in a statement.

Illinois American Civil Liberties Union legal director Harvey Grossman said the franchise agreement isn’t the final word on the matter.

"The contract can't waive the Constitution," he said. "This kind of censorship — and it clearly is censorship — raises very serious constitutional issues.”

For Kozlowski’s part, the right to watch adult content isn’t the issue.

"I don't care about the porn,” she said. “I don't want to watch the porn. I just want on- demand.”

Comcast has said it will comply with the terms of the franchise agreement. However, officials from the company said that they would prefer to offer the service to the town and let users make their own decisions regarding adult content.

Comcast, which inherited the franchise from AT&T broadband four years earlier, offers built-in parental controls, which allow customers to block objectionable content.

South Holland officials said they would like the company to find a way to deliver on-demand, which also features a great deal of mainstream content, to its residents without any adult material in the feed.

The ACLU said they would be interested in pursuing a case against the town, if a resident would come forward with a complaint.

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

Eva Maxim, BranditScan Launch 'Killer' Promo

Eva Maxim and BranditScan have partnered for the Killer Creator Giveaway promotion.

2026 XBIZ Exec Awards Nominees for Online Industry Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the nominees for the online industry edition of the 2026 XBIZ Exec Awards, set to be presented as part of the annual XBIZ Honors ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 14 in conjunction with the XBIZ 2026 digital media conference.

AEBN Publishes Report on POV Trends

AEBN has published a report on POV and gonzo categories from its straight and gay theaters.

Joybear Pictures to Launch 'I Really Love' Studio Imprint

Joybear Pictures has announced that its new studio imprint, I Really Love, will launch in January.

Pineapple Support to Host 'Life Transitions' Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group on navigating transitional and liminal spaces.

CamSoda Launches 'Trick or Tease' AI Companions

CamSoda has launched its Halloween-themed Trick or Tease AI companions.

Russian Lawmakers Call for Age Verification

Two Russian lawmakers have called on the country’s government to implement age verification for adult content.

British Documentary Spotlights XBIZ Amsterdam With Candid Conversations

British creator and host Josh Pieters traveled to XBIZ Amsterdam to film a documentary about the annual European adult industry conference.

XBIZ 2026 to Debut 'New Talent Go-See' Special Event

XBIZ 2026, North America’s premier adult industry conference, will debut a special event designed to help new talent jump-start their careers: the New Talent Go-See.

Penthouse Announces Digital Archive Launch

Penthouse Magazine has announced that it will launch a comprehensive digital archive in 2026.

Show More