FSC Sues Tennessee Over AV Law, Seeks Preliminary Injunction

FSC Sues Tennessee Over AV Law, Seeks Preliminary Injunction

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Free Speech Coalition, along with a group of adult industry stakeholders, has filed a legal challenge to Tennessee’s age verification law and requested an expedited preliminary injunction against enforcement.

The complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, argues that SB 1792 violates the First Amendment.

“Engaging in legal speech is not a criminal act,” FSC Executive Director Alison Boden said in a statement. “This law, and others like it, have effectively become state censorship, creating a massive chilling effect for those who deal in sex or sexuality, and creating significant privacy risk for Tennesseans who want to access sexual health information, adult content, or any other controversial speech.”

The bill was passed into law by the Tennessee legislature in April on a unanimous, bipartisan vote and is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. As XBIZ has reported, the Tennessee law is considered particularly dangerous because — unlike some other states’ AV bills that attempt to circumvent free-speech issues by making adult sites liable to civil suits — it empowers the state attorney general to bring felony criminal charges against websites with “material harmful to minors” if they do not require visitors to upload a government ID, scan their face, or otherwise verify their age and identity.

Free Speech Coalition has challenged similar laws in Indiana, Montana, Texas, Louisiana, and Utah, securing preliminary injunctions in Indiana and Texas. The Texas case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, will be heard by the United States Supreme Court in January.

Joining FSC as co-plaintiffs in the Tennessee case are content creator and educator MelRose Michaels, sex education platform O.school, sexual wellness retailer Adam & Eve, and adult fan platform JustFor.Fans.

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

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Pineapple Support, Streamate to Host 'Navigating Grief and Loss' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Streamate are hosting a free online support group to help performers cope with grief and loss.

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches for May, June

AEBN has released the top search terms for the months of May and June from its straight and gay theaters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

XBIZ Amsterdam Calls on New Startups for 'Spotlight' Program

XBIZ is pleased to announce that its new “Startup Spotlight” programming will make its European premiere at XBIZ Amsterdam 2025, set to take place Sept. 2-5 at the Jakarta Hotel Amsterdam.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

Show More