Business Attacks

LOS ANGELES — Twitch has begun verifying the ages of users logging in from United Kingdom IP addresses, according to a Tuesday report from Dexerto.

The streaming platform is the latest to implement strict age verification procedures following the rollout of the Online Safety Act. Under the new rules, U.K. regulator Ofcom requires digital platforms to ensure users pass either a facial scan or submit personal information before gaining access.

“Twitch and k-ID (a third-party vendor we partner with to verify your age) do not store your face scan video selfies,” the company explained. “The video selfie used for facial age estimation is analyzed entirely on your device and will never leave it.”

The move has already drawn backlash. Some Twitch users described the measure as “dystopian,” while others suggested they might stop using the platform altogether.

Adult content creators have long used Twitch to expand their mainstream reach. One prominent example is Amouranth, who streams on both Twitch and Kick and is also an award-winning adult content creator.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — Colombia’s Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of adult performer Esperanza Gómez in her dispute with Meta over repeated suspensions of her Instagram account.

The court determined that Meta failed to apply its standards equally, noting that Gómez’s profile had not been treated the same as others with similar content.

“If social media platforms use offline activities as criteria for content moderation, they must clearly state these criteria in their community standards,” the ruling stated. “Due process must also be allowed to reasonably challenge the social media platform’s decision.”

Gómez first filed her case in 2022, arguing that Instagram’s repeated deactivations cost her millions of followers and harmed her “right to work.”

In the decision, authored by Judge Natalia Ángel Cabo, the court ordered Meta to take three corrective measures: establish a visible electronic channel for judicial notifications in Colombia, ensure moderation policies are available in Spanish on a unified website, and revise Instagram’s terms of use and privacy policy so users have clear avenues to contest moderation actions.

Following the ruling, Gómez celebrated the outcome on X. “I continued without listening to the people who told me that I would never win a lawsuit against a giant, and today we are triumphing,” she wrote. “We must know how to defend our rights when they are violated.”

Bluesky confirmed Wednesday that it has begun implementing age verification for users in Wyoming and South Dakota, citing compliance with newly enacted state-level statutes on age checks and social media safety.

“Bluesky users in South Dakota and Wyoming can choose from multiple methods to verify their age. We believe this approach currently strikes the right balance,” the company said in a statement. “Bluesky will remain available to users in these states, and we will not need to restrict the app for everyone.”

The platform added that it intends to keep its community informed as it adapts to shifting regulatory requirements.

To manage compliance, Bluesky is utilizing Kids Web Services (KWS), an age assurance system developed by Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite.

The move follows last month’s announcement that users in Mississippi would be blocked from accessing Bluesky altogether due to legal challenges surrounding the state’s social media age verification law, which is currently the subject of federal litigation.

Bluesky has become a favored platform among adult creators and studios, in part because of its relatively permissive approach to nudity and explicit content.

LOS ANGELES — Adult entertainment businesses affected by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires are excluded from applying for emergency relief under a $1 million recovery program launched in early August by Steadfast LA, with funding from the Bank of California wildfire recovery fund, Pasadena Now has reported.

The initiative offers grants of up to $50,000 to qualifying businesses impacted by the fires. Funds are administered by the nonprofit community lender LiftFund, with eligibility limited to companies in Palisades, Malibu, or Altadena that maintain local business checking accounts.

While many types of businesses qualify, the program specifically bars adult entertainment companies, as well as liquor stores, smoke and vape shops, and lending organizations.

“These businesses aren’t faceless storefronts,” said Rick Caruso, founder and chairman of Steadfast LA, in a statement. “They are the fabric of the community. They are made up of people: owners, employees, and loyal customers. They deserve an advocate to help address the challenges they’re facing through no fault of their own.”

Caruso’s statement, however, does not extend to adult entertainment establishments, which remain excluded under the program’s rules.

OnlyFans and some chat agencies have been sued over the use of AI in OnlyFans chats.

Lawyers Suing OnlyFans, ‘Chatter’ Agencies Used AI in Filing AVN

Attorneys representing a class action targeting Fenix International Limited, the parent company of OnlyFans.com, and so-called chatter agencies disclosed on Thursday to a federal district court in Santa Ana, Calif. that they used artificial intelligence to help write a legal complaint outlining alleged RICO allegations.

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Reason opines about how anti-porn groups are coming after games by pressuring payment processors

The anti-porn crusade comes for online games

Activists pressure payment processors, who in turn pressure game marketplaces. Now many video games and visual novels are disappearing.

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The Free Speech Coalitio has given its endorsement to a Trump executive order that forces banks to engage in fair business practices for all Americans, regardless of whether the business is considered “high risk”.

FSC Endorses Trump Executive Order Requiring Fair Banking Rules AVN

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) endorsed an executive order issued today by the Trump administration requiring banks, credit unions and financial institutions to engage in fair business practices for all Americans and legal U.S.-based businesses.

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avn.com

The Trump Administration has issued an executive order to stop financial institutions from showing bias against high-risk industries, like the adult entertainment space.

Trump Administration Issues Executive Order Against ‘Debanking’

The White House on Thursday issued an executive order limiting financial institutions’ ability to restrict access to financial services for people or groups involved in lawful industries, a longtime goal of adult industry advocates and stakeholders.

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Itch.io is returning adult games to their platform.

NSFW Games Returning to Itch.io’s Catalog AVN

The founder of Itch.io, Leaf Corcoran, announced Thursday that his company began reindexing free adult entertainment games on the indie video game marketplace after it recently announced deindexing due to pressure from major credit card companies and payment processors.

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avn.com

The President of Kyrgyzstan has signed a bill outlawing internet adult content.

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.

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