FSC: Net Neutrality Repeal Would Hurt Adult Industry

FSC: Net Neutrality Repeal Would Hurt Adult Industry

LOS ANGELES — The Free Speech Coalition today issued a call to action over the upcoming vote by regulators that could repeal current net neutrality rules.

An affirmative vote by the Federal Communications Commission at its Dec. 14 monthly meeting would be a critical threat to online businesses, including adult entertainment companies, the FSC said.

The FSC said the following:

Just over a year ago, the FSC warned about the ways in which a conservative administration could use legislation and deregulation to censor adult businesses. That battle is here, and about to intensify.

FSC is calling on its members to vociferously and actively oppose the recent move by the FCC to dismantle Title 2 protections, more generally known as net neutrality.

We see this — coupled with anti-porn resolutions at the state level and SESTA’s attack on protections mandated by Communication Decency Act — as the free speech battle of the 21st Century.

As the trade organization for the adult industry, we know the dangers of corporate and government censorship first hand. Our industry knows what happens when corporations are allowed to prioritize content, exclude it from those networks, or punish those that don’t comply.

We only need to think, for instance, of how adult businesses have been systematically excluded from major marketplaces — whether Apple’s app store, or Google’s Adwords, or advertising on Facebook. Or the way we’ve been arbitrarily excluded from banking or credit cards. Of course, it’s not just adult content. In the past six months alone, we’ve seen funding platform Patreon block adult and sexual health related products, and YouTube demonitize LGBTQ content. The adult industry is the canary in the coal mine of censorship.

We should all be fearful of a world where ISPs determine what sites, content or viewpoints you can access. The internet, like the postal service or the telephone service, is essential for civic participation, it has become our public square. In most areas of the US, there are only one or two major internet providers to choose from. Currently, under the principle of net neutrality, each ISP must treat all internet traffic equally. Every ISP must provide access to all legally accessible sites, and they must not discriminate in services they provide (such as the speed of video streaming) from one site to another.

If the FCC dismantles net neutrality protections, that would change. We could see ISPs:

• Slowing or throttling loading and video speeds on adult content;
• Effectively banning or blocking access to adult content;
• Charging consumers additional fees to access adult content; and,
• Charging adult businesses additional fees in order to be accessible to consumers.

These hurt our businesses, hurt our ability to compete, hurts innovation, and hurt the ability of adult consumers to access and enjoy content that is meaningful to them.

Earlier this year, FSC signed a coalition letter in support of net neutrality with 173 other organizations. We did and do have serious concerns about the ways in which ISPs could and will limit the information and entertainment that citizens can access.

We ask that you call your representatives and ask them to fight the repeal of Title II, and encourage your visitors, members, and fans to do the same.

The next two weeks are critical for our long-term viability. FSC has provided an overview to the issue, and a guide for how to best fight for your rights, and net neutrality here.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 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

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

Creator stats and affiliate marketing platform FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

FSC, Co-Plaintiffs to Ask US Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Texas Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and its co-plaintiffs in the challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law have petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to stay its recent decision upholding the law, because they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality.

FSC Vows to Fight Florida Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement vowing to continue fighting Florida’s new age verification law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as part of a comprehensive bill targeting minors’ use of social media.

Kansas Republican Aims to Create New Bureaucracy to 'Investigate' Porn Websites

Republican state legislators succeeded Monday in moving forward Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite serious concerns raised by House Democrats about the cost of establishing a new bureaucracy tasked with investigating websites for pornographic content.

SK Intertainment Launches 'Skinfluential Management' Agency, FansFuel Joint Venture

Mr. Skin/Mr. Man parent company SK Intertainment has launched new creator agency Skinfluential Management, as well as a new joint venture with Showbizz Media's creator stats and affiliate marketing platform, FansFuel.

Industry Attorney, Free Speech Champion Clyde DeWitt Passes Away at 75

Noted industry attorney Clyde DeWitt passed away on Friday in Las Vegas at 75, according to friends and colleagues.

Show More