The War on Porn

Age Verification: Artist Blogs Censored, Porn Site Data Exposed, Noncompliant Platforms See Traffic Surge

Macbook partially closed in the dark

An article from Reason Magazine discussed the many issues with age verification.

As more regions worldwide — including several U.S. states — roll out laws requiring age verification online, the ripple effects continue to mount. The latest developments include U.S. residents losing access to a blogging platform, French users facing risks of their porn-viewing data being exposed, and noncompliant porn sites in the U.K. gaining major traffic boosts.

Let’s start with what’s happening in the U.S.

In Mississippi, another website has begun blocking local users in response to the state’s new age verification and online harm prevention law.

This follows earlier fallout, such as the social media platform Bluesky cutting off access to Mississippi residents.

Now, Dreamwidth Studios — a blogging platform geared toward artists and one of the plaintiffs in a NetChoice challenge to the Mississippi law — has also restricted access for Mississippi users, while additionally barring minors in Tennessee from creating new accounts.


 

Do you want me to make a sharper, news-style rewrite (shorter sentences, more punch), or a policy-analysis rewrite(heavier on context and implications)?

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FTC and Utah Reach $5 Million Settlement With Aylo Over Content Safety Allegations

A hand holding a phone with the PornHub logo

SALT LAKE CITY — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Utah Division of Consumer Protection have reached a proposed settlement with Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, requiring the company to pay $5 million in civil penalties and commit to ongoing compliance measures.

Filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, the stipulated order resolves allegations that Aylo engaged in deceptive and unfair practices by failing to adequately prevent the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and nonconsensual material (NCM) on its platforms, despite claiming such content was strictly prohibited. Regulators cited occurrences largely predating 2021, prior to Aylo’s 2023 acquisition by Ethical Capital Partners, which rebranded the company and introduced reforms.

Under the agreement, Aylo will pay $5 million, with an additional $10 million in penalties suspended contingent on compliance. The company also agreed to biennial third-party compliance audits for the next decade. The measures outlined in the settlement — including age verification for uploaders and performers, consent verification, and reporting mechanisms — are already in place at Aylo, according to company representatives.

“Pornhub’s operators turned a blind eye to the proliferation of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children on its sites so it could profit off this exploitation,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Under the order we’re announcing today, Pornhub’s operators will be required to take concrete steps to block this harmful content and ensure that those who appear in videos on their sites are consenting adults.”

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox praised the settlement, stating he was “grateful to the FTC and our Division of Consumer Protection for their work to safeguard Utah’s children and families.”

Aylo, however, emphasized that the FTC’s allegations are tied to policies predating its current ownership and reforms. “All of the FTC’s complaints stem from 2020 or earlier,” a spokesperson told reporters. “Since that era, Aylo has implemented trust and safety measures that, according to third-party data, place us among the safest platforms on the internet.”

The company added that the settlement does not introduce new obligations beyond its existing measures. “This resolution involved enhancements to existing practices but did not introduce new substantive requirements,” Aylo said. “Aylo maintains a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content, and this agreement underscores our dedication to upholding high standards of trust and safety in the industry.”

The case builds on previous federal oversight, including a deferred prosecution agreement Aylo entered into with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, requiring independent monitoring and restitution tied to the GirlsDoPorn sex trafficking investigation.

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Adult Businesses Barred From L.A. Fire Recovery Grants

Rescuers at LA Fires 2025

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.

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Australian Gov’t Releases Results of Age Assurance Tech Review

The Australian government has done a test on their age verification system that won’t allow teens under 16 to access social media. They have released the results.

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Ofcom Investigating Parent Company of PornHaven AI

Ofcom is investigating the site PornHaven AI for not complying with the UK’s Online Safety Act.

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Troll Websites Sue the United Kingdom’s Ofcom in Federal Court

The parent companies of 4chan and Kiwi Farms have sued Ofcom in US Federal Court.

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What the New SCOTUS Ruling Means for AV Laws and Free Speech

An opinion piece by esteemed adult industry attorney Lawrence G. Walters of the Walters Law group on the decision by the Supreme Court in the matter of Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton.

You can hear more from him on Adult Site Broker Talk starting October 21st.

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N.Z. Excludes Adult From New Business Investor Visa

The immigration minister of New Zealand has announced a new business investor visa, however, adult entertainment companies are excluded.

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