FSC Pushes to Make Adult Sites More Secure

FSC Pushes to Make Adult Sites More Secure

CANOGA PARK, Calif. — The Free Speech Coalition and the Center for Democracy and Technology, a digital civil liberties group, have agreed to work together to advocate use of the encryption protocol HTTPS for adult sites.

The bottom line, the groups emphasize, is that adult site operators can deliver a more private and secure experience to users while protecting traffic online. The groups plan to conduct a series of webinars and outreach events to reach their large network of members.

Adult site operators typically shy away from HTTPS because they may host third-party elements, including ads, that often include trackers that don’t work with HTTPS. If ads are delivered over HTTP, the site can’t be considered secure. Another reason to be hesitant: SEO challenges during HTTPS transition.

“I could imagine that it’s going to become something where in order to do business in this industry, you have to have HTTPS up and running,” FSC Communications Director Mike Stabile told Wired. “If you’re leaving yourself exposed, you’re leaving a lot of people in your network exposed — advertisers, billing providers, members. The pressure’s going to come from a critical mass of vendors and partners.”

Stabile noted that privacy concerns are a big deal for users if breaches occur.

“It’s one thing if your credit card information is stolen from something like Nordstrom,” Stabile said. “When you’re dealing with an adult company, it says a lot about you. It’s tremendously exposing, especially if you’re closeted or in a community that’s going to frown upon that.”

Joseph Lorenzo Hall, chief technologist at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said that his group and the FSC are available to help with an HTTPS transition.

“If you are an adult website operator who has questions we can answer, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or the folks at FSC,” Hall said. “If you are a sysadmin at a top-100 adult site, allow us to help you navigate the switch to a more secure web for your users.”

Hall said that the short version of the argument is as follows:

  • Without HTTPS, ISPs and governments can spy on what users are doing;
  • Using HTTPS prevents malicious actors from injecting malware into adult site traffic;
  • Site operators already need HTTPS to do payments if adult sites accept money;
  • Without HTTPS, ISPs can strip out ads/referrals and add their own;
  • Without HTTPS, sites cannot utilize HTTP/2 for optimal performance;
  • Without HTTPS, sites can’t use the latest web features that require HTTPS, like geolocation; and,
  • Without HTTPS, sites can’t know if users receive important resources like terms of service and privacy policy without modification.

Hall noted that as Google’s transparency report have exposed, adult websites are moving too slowly to HTTPS.

“The few adult websites in the top-100 that scored well in Google’s metrics were cam sites,” he said. “That seemed intuitive; all the other top-100 adult sites were focused on one-way broadcast of adult videos, images, etc., rather than two-way real-time communication, which could be exceedingly more sensitive than passive consumption of adult content.”

View paper on HTTPS authored by Center for Democracy and Technology

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