Feature Articles

trends

AI at Work: The Tools and Practices Powering Creativity, Commerce and Compliance

For years, artificial intelligence felt like the plot of a science-fiction movie. Pop culture gave us Skynet from “The Terminator,” the replicants of “Blade Runner” and countless visions of machines replacing human creativity altogether. AI was cast as either humanity's next great breakthrough or the beginning of a dystopian future.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

Key Questions Online Merchants Should Know About PCI Compliance

Choosing a payment provider involves more than comparing features and pricing. It's also about trusting that your customers' payment information is being handled securely. Every August, Segpay is recertified as a Level 1 PCI-compliant service provider, a milestone the company has achieved for the past 20 years. Having helped write Segpay's original PCI policy documents more than two decades ago, I've seen firsthand how PCI compliance has evolved.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

New Moon Network's Savannah Sly on Turning Lived Experience Into Advocacy

Savannah Sly is the first to admit she didn't always understand sex work. At 18, she was an art student in Boston, working part-time at a box office and, as she puts it, "broke as a joke." While looking for ways to make ends meet, she often found herself browsing Craigslist's adult ads, intrigued by the women advertising their services.

Jackie Backman ·
opinion

How to Safeguard Your Website Against CIPA Claims

There is a new wave of lawsuits targeting online businesses, including adult websites. These suits involve the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and they are becoming increasingly prevalent. In fact, three different clients of my law firm were recently served or threatened with CIPA lawsuits — all in the same week.

Nick Zargarpour ·
trends

How Clear Talent Contracts Can Save Time and Money

The adult industry has always been defined by its ability to evolve. It embraced online distribution before much of mainstream entertainment did, pioneered subscription-based business models, and continues to evolve in areas ranging from streaming to AI.

Corey Silverstein ·
profile

Jerkmate's Lili L. on Dropping Beats to Fuel Creator Success

Long before joining the Jerkmate team as a marketing strategist, Lili L. was the kind of person who always felt like she needed a new challenge.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

What Mastercard's Specialty Fee Overhaul Means for Merchants

For business owners in the adult and specialty spaces, the rules have always been written in someone else’s office. The latest Mastercard changes are no exception, though there are practical ways merchants can begin preparing now.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

What to Know About Content Restrictions Across Global Markets

Throughout 2025, age verification remained a major focus as merchants worked to meet the requirements of 26 U.S. states, country-specific regulations in France, the UK, and Italy, and evolving guidance from the European Commission.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Key Strategies for Building an Effective Website Compliance Program

For adult website operators, compliance can no longer live in a folder that only opens when a bank, regulator, attorney, or payment processor starts asking questions.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
profile

Ricci Levy on Standing Up for the Right to Be Heard

When Ricci Levy speaks about human rights, she does not use detached, academic language. She speaks with urgency, emotion and the kind of passion that immediately makes it clear just how deeply personal this work is for her.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Lessons From Decades of Building the Adult Internet

After my first year of college, I needed a job. So I did what people did back then: I opened the newspaper and started scanning the classifieds. One listing stood out: “Image Librarian.” I had no idea what that meant, but I applied, and got the job.

Tanguy ·
opinion

How to Build a Cross-Border Payment Strategy

Pull up your analytics and you’ll likely find that international traffic is already on your site. Some of those visitors convert, but a lot more bounced at checkout — and a meaningful chunk tried to pay but were declined.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The KPIs That Keep Payment Processing Humming While You're Away

I always look forward to the summer as my kids are home and I can plan little trips with them to reconnect and have some fun. If you’re like me, however, you probably never go on vacation without your laptop, so you can check in or lurk in the background to make sure all systems remain go.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

What Utah's SB 73 Means for Compliance Requirements

Utah has once again positioned itself at the center of the national battle over online age verification and adult-content regulation.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
profile

Clips4Sale's Christy on Backing Creators and Fueling Growth

Understanding the industry from within goes beyond data. For Christy, Manager of Creator Experience at Clips4Sale, that insight is shaped by front-line conversations and years spent listening not just to trends, but to people.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Breaking Down AI-Powered Moderation and Platform Safety

Adult platforms, including content sites, cam services and dating apps, consistently face a range of high-risk challenges. These include verifying consent, particularly for user-uploaded content, addressing nonconsensual material such as leaks and so-called revenge porn, and ensuring effective age verification and protection for minors. At the same time, platforms must manage content moderation at scale while addressing payment fraud, scams, harassment and user abuse.

Christoph Hermes ·
opinion

How to Optimize Subscription Billing for Compliance and Stability

The Federal Trade Commission’s “click to cancel” rule is coming back around. Last year, a federal appeals court vacated the FTC’s Negative Option Rule, aimed at addressing deceptive or unfair practices and making it easier for consumers to cancel online subscriptions.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Key Strategies for Streamlining Payment Processing Approval

Why is it taking so long to get my account approved? It's frustrating for everyone involved, but it's all part of the process. Over the past year, timelines have stretched to 60 days or more for merchants to complete onboarding, from internal compliance review to banking partner approval and final card brand registration.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

What to Know About Alabama's Regulatory Push on Adult Content

Over the past two years, Alabama has quietly but aggressively transformed itself into one of the most restrictive and unfriendly jurisdictions for the adult entertainment industry. Through the enactment of House Bill 164 and related enforcement mechanisms, the state has layered taxation, compliance burdens and content restrictions in a way that goes far beyond traditional regulation.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
profile

Chaturbate's Emely Zuniga Talks Show Floor Magic and Creator Care

During industry events, you’ll likely find Zuniga gliding through the room, greeting creators, checking details and making sure everyone around her feels taken care of. With her colorful red hair, perfectly done nails and an easygoing, “work bestie” demeanor that instantly puts people at ease, she thrives in the fast-paced environment of conferences and trade shows.

Jackie Backman ·
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