Global War on Porn
Spain's Far-Right Vox Party Now Pushing for Mandatory 'Porn Filters'
Spain’s influential far-right Vox party has begun pushing the Madrid legislature to mandate default “porn filters” on devices accessible to minors.
German Media Regulator Moves Forward With Block of Pornhub, Other Tube Sites
Germany's federal media regulator has initiated steps to order a block of Pornhub, YouPorn and MyDirtyHobby, escalating the country’s war against online adult content over age verification, a campaign which has been largely spearheaded by a single local bureaucrat.
France's Parliament Passes Controversial Law to Regulate Online Content, Including Adult
The French National Assembly, the country’s lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday passed the controversial Law Aiming to Secure and Regulate the Digital Space, which includes provisions targeting adult content added during a period of relentless media attacks and panic-mongering against the porn industry.
Australia's Top Online Censor Fines X for Refusing to Answer Moderation Questions
Australia’s top censor, E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, has slapped X.com with a fine of 610,500 Australian dollars (approximately $386,000) for violating the country’s new Online Safety Act.
French Government Report Urges Criminalization of Adult Industry
A sensationalistic report released this week by a French government office is urging immediate state censorship and broad criminalization of the adult industry in France and worldwide.
UK Parliament Passes Controversial 'Online Safety Bill'
The U.K. Parliament on Tuesday passed the much-delayed Online Safety Bill, despite vocal criticisms by virtually all digital rights and free speech organizations and advocates.
Italian Government Pulls Back on Controversial Anti-Porn Language in 'Youth Crime' Bill
The far-right administration of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has reportedly pulled back from anti-porn language that had been inserted into a controversial “youth crime” executive order, which was fast-tracked after the media sensationalized specific incidents of sexual assaults.
French Court Postpones Decision on Blocking Adult Sites
The Paris Judicial Tribunal on Friday decided to postpone its decision on whether to order internet service providers in the country to block access to five of the most visited adult tube sites in France.
FSC Appoints Vince Charlton as AV Liaison for UK, Europe
Industry veteran Vince Charlton will join FSC as the organization’s Age Verification Policy Liaison — with a special focus on the U.K. and Europe — as it works to more proactively engage legislators and regulators.
Conservative UK Prime Minister Orders Review of All Porn Laws
Rishi Sunak, the Conservative prime minister of the U.K., has ordered a full review of British pornography laws.
Apple Warns UK Government of Serious Privacy Risks if 'Online Safety Bill' Passes
Apple has issued a statement warning against serious privacy risks that it says would result from the passage of the Online Safety Bill currently being fast-tracked by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Spanish Feminist Leader Crosses Party Lines to Demand Porn Censorship, Sex Work Abolition
Veteran Spanish feminist academic and activist Amelia Valcárcel reaffirmed her alliance with the right-wing Partido Popular (PP) on Wednesday by issuing a demand for the adoption of 10 policy items, starting with censorship of adult content and the abolition of all sex work.
British Baroness Defends Controversial California Age Verification Law She Inspired
The Baroness Beeban Kidron, a British aristocrat with California and Hollywood ties, was the subject last week of a fawning profile by Politico, in which she continued to defend her controversial campaigns for internet age verification in the U.K. and California.
Dorcel Testing Age Verification Solution in France
Veteran French studio Dorcel is currently testing a “double anonymity” age verification solution designed by a Marseille-based tech company.
Spanish Anti-Porn Activists Demand Laws to Match Utah and China
Local Spanish politicians and activists are demanding anti-porn legislation to mirror current initiatives in France, Germany, Utah and even China.
Pope Francis Condemns Adult Content as 'Commercialization of Love'
Pope Francis I condemned all pornography as “the crudest commercialization of love” during a meeting on Thursday with students and with bishops responsible for Catholic schools.
French Government Admits New Adult Content Law Will Target Twitter Too
The French government has confirmed that the new bill it introduced on Wednesday to bypass the courts and force platforms to implement age verification will apply not only to specifically adult sites but also to any site that allows explicit content, including Twitter.
France Moves to Force Adult Websites to Comply With Unclear Age Verification Law
The center-right French government led by Emmanuel Macron confirmed over the weekend that it will attempt to bypass the courts to force the five largest adult sites accessible in the country to comply with a controversial, vaguely worded 2020 age verification law.
China Flaunts Online Censorship Successes
The Chinese government released a statement Wednesday touting the results of its campaign during the first quarter of 2023 to censor, threaten and punish platforms and websites for “harmful information,” a category in which China includes pornography.
New EU Rules for 'Very Large' Platforms Raise Concerns for Adult Sector
The European Commission yesterday officially identified 19 major platforms and search engines to be targeted for compliance under the controversial Digital Services Act (DSA).