Spanish Anti-Porn Activists Demand Laws to Match Utah and China

Spanish Anti-Porn Activists Demand Laws to Match Utah and China

SEVILLE, Spain — Local Spanish politicians and activists are demanding anti-porn legislation to mirror current initiatives in France, Germany, Utah and even China.

The current flurry of activity targeting the adult industry in Spain is focused in Andalusia and among local bureaucrats on the regulatory council Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía (CAA).

Much like in Germany, where an obscure local politician at the head of the State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia has been responsible for starting most anti-porn initiatives, and the U.S., where religious activists in Utah have sparked a wave of copycat legislation in other states, local Andalusian authorities are currently busy holding meetings in search of a solution to restrict minors’ access to adult material in Spain.

Last month the CAA organized a conference to address the supposed threat to minors posed by internet pornography. Tech journalist Enrique Benítez, from the influential Prensa Ibérica media conglomerate, participated and afterward published an editorial in Prensa Ibérica’s flagship newspaper El Periodico de España, advocating for local laws to follow the lead of France and the U.K. in threatening to block adult websites unless they implement age verification.

In the editorial, Benítez touts Utah’s current attempt at banning access to adult sites: a deliberately vague age verification law that is currently being challenged by Free Speech Coalition on multiple constitutional grounds. He also praises Google’s collaboration with China to censor specific search language and muses about forcing the tech giant to do the same thing in Spain to block searches for sex-related keywords.

“Google made a proposal to enlist its search engine in the service of the Chinese government’s demands,” he writes. “Thus, searching ‘democracy’ or ‘Tiannanmen’ did not bring up the expected results.” The same thing, he notes, happened later with Russia and the word “war.”

“Why can they collaborate with authoritarian regimes and not do the same thing with established democracies that seek to protect their minor citizens?” he asks.

Deeming it “unfair” to expect families to monitor minors’ access to online content, Benítez proposed shifting the responsibility to online platforms. Unlike the U.S., Europe has nothing resembling Section 230 liability protections over user-generated content.

Last week, Andalusia’s CAA issued yet another porn-panic report, this time raising the alarm over supposed “detailed instructions” available on open platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Reddit, explaining how to gain access to OnlyFans content.

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

European Commission to Assess Pornhub, XVideos, XNXX Compliance With Digital Services Act

The European Commission plans to conduct a study to determine how well adult sites Pornhub, XVideos and XNXX are addressing illegal content and other potential harms under the EU’s Digital Services Act.

German Higher Court Upholds Ban on PornHub, YouPorn

The Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate on Thursday upheld a “network ban” on Aylo-owned adult sites Pornhub and YouPorn for failing to comply with German age verification regulations.

Alabama Notifying Adult Sites of New Tax Set to Take Effect Sept. 1

The Alabama Department of Revenue has begun sending notices to adult site operators about a new 10% tax on their revenues, set to be enforced starting Sept. 1.

Ondato, CCBill Announce Strategic Partnership for Global High-Risk Market

Age and identity verification firm Ondato and payment processor CCBill have formed a strategic partnership to serve the global high-risk market.

Ofcom Investigates 4 More Adult Companies for OSA Compliance

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has launched investigations into whether four companies operating adult websites have implemented requisite age assurance measures under the Online Safety Act, the agency announced Thursday.

Taylor Nicole Launches New Site Through YourPaysitePartner

Creator Taylor Nicole has launched her new official website through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

Adult Networking Platform SpicyGigs.com Launches

SpicyGigs, a new adult industry networking platform, has officially launched.

Pineapple Support to Host 'Cream Pie Challenge' Fundraiser

Pineapple Support is hosting its Cream Pie Challenge through August to raise funds for mental health services for industry performers.

Kyrgyzstan President Signs Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday signed into law legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

NC Legislature Overrides Veto of Extreme Anti-Adult Industry Bill

The North Carolina state legislature on Tuesday voted to override Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a bill imposing regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most creators and content.

Show More