Global War on Porn
UK's Online Safety Bill Criticized Over Expanding Scope
The U.K. government continues expanding the scope of a proposed Online Safety Bill, despite criticism by opponents and digital rights advocates that it is increasingly becoming an out-of-control, repressive “kitchen sink” bill.
Anti-Porn Lobby NCOSE Urges Action Against Netflix for 'Normalizing' Sex Work
Religiously inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE released yesterday its annual “Dirty Dozen” list of companies it alleges are “major contributors to sexual exploitation" and encourages its followers to target.
French Government Asks Courts for Order to Block Pornhub, 4 Other Tube Sites
France’s media regulator ARCOM has gone to court to demand that the country’s ISPs enforce a total block of five specific adult tube sites — Pornhub, Tukif, xHamster, Xvideos and Xnxx — over their alleged lack of enforcement of a controversial age verification mandate.
German ISPs Exploring Legal Challenge to Government Order to Block xHamster
Hours after the German government ordered the country’s major internet service providers to block xHamster, one of the ISPs, PŸUR, told a digital rights group that it reserves the right “to have the decision legally reviewed by an independent court with a view to the legal regulations of net neutrality.”
German Government Orders ISPs to Block xHamster
Germany’s Commission for Youth Media Protection decided unanimously on Thursday to impose a network ban on xHamster.
Saudi Arabia Funds Initiative Against 'Porn Addiction'
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a new website as part of a government public health initiative known as “Effah,” which claims to help people “get rid of pornography addiction” in 100 days.
Under Pressure From German Government, Twitter Begins Blocking Adult Content
Confirming the fears of sex workers and advocates around the world, Twitter has reportedly begun blocking German profiles that include adult content, after a local government official escalated a campaign to force the platform to implement age verification systems designed for “pornographic websites.”
UK Ministers Confirm New Age Verification Rules Target Twitter, Reddit
U.K. government officials confirmed last week that social media sites “hosting large amounts of pornographic material, such as Twitter and Reddit” would have to “introduce systems to remove adult material in the U.K., or introduce age checks to determine whether users are over 18,” The Guardian reported yesterday.
Australian Top Censor Moving Forward With Controversial Age Verification Scheme
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, who has acknowledged having conversations with the U.S.-based, religiously-inspired anti-porn lobby NCOSE, is now “developing a roadmap to implement age verification for online pornographic sites.”
German Police Find Old Adult Magazines in a Ditch, Claim Criminal 'Distribution of Pornography'
Police in Bavaria, Germany are seeking information on a pile of 1990s porn magazines found in a ditch on the side of a road, so that they can charge whoever disposed of the magazines with criminal “distribution of pornography.”
China Renews Crackdown Against 'Pornography' as Beijing 2022 Olympics Begin
The Chinese government has stepped up a police campaign to crush “illegal and inappropriate content” — which it defines as “online rumors, pornography and superstition” — as the controversial 2022 Beijing Olympic Games kick off.
Canadian Government Sends Controversial 'Online Harms' Bill Back to the Drawing Board
The Canadian government released its report on a controversial "online harms" bill today, highlighting concerns raised by stakeholders and sending it back to the drawing board.
UK Charity Releases Study on Financial Discrimination Against Sex Workers
National Ugly Mugs, a U.K. charity focused on sex worker rights and outreach, has released a comprehensive research report on financial discrimination against sex workers in the U.K., including adult performers and businesses.
U.K. Lord: Porn 'Normalizes Sexual Behavior' Unfit for 'Wooing a Woman'
The Earl of Erroll, a British nobleman with an inherited title dating back to the 15th century, gave a speech to the House of Lords supporting state intervention in adult content through a revamped Online Safety Bill, claiming that online porn “normalizes anal sex and blowjobs” which “are just really not about how to go around wooing a woman.”
Singapore's Top OnlyFans Creator Charged With 'Obscenity'
Titus Low, one of Singapore’s top-rated OnlyFans creators, was arrested last week and charged with “transmitting obscene material via electronic means.”
French Regulator Continues Threatening Tube Sites, Refuses to Provide Guidance on Age Verification
The French government's media regulation agency has said it is currently analyzing the responses of five operators of adult tube sites who were ordered to implement age verification systems, under threat of being completely blocked in the country, after the deadline to comply passed last week.
France, Germany, U.K. Move Toward Segregating Adult Content Behind 'Soft Paywall'
The French government has given another ultimatum to five adult websites to implement age verification measures by today, or face being completely blocked in the entire country.
Russia Tightens Internet Censorship Through Fines for 'Banned Content'
A year after Vladimir Putin announced sweeping measures to regulate internet content, a Russian court today fined Google nearly $100 million for “systematic failure to remove banned content,” which encompasses both political and social messaging of which the Moscow government does not approve, and almost all adult material online.
German Digital Rights Group Warns Against Imminent Porn Block
German digital rights group Netzpolitik.org has published an editorial warning against the current onslaught by self-proclaimed “youth protectors” attempting to use the country’s court system to force a government ban on adult tube sites.
Chinese Social Media Giant Weibo Ordered to Crack Down on 'Soft Porn'
China’s social media giant Weibo announced a sweeping overhaul of its content moderation to target and eliminate content deemed to be sexual expression, or “soft porn,” after receiving a hefty fine by Chinese internet regulators.