FSC Public Affairs Update
Between meetings with Congressional offices, multiple trade shows and a flood of antiporn bills being introduced in the US, it’s been a busy start to the year. Here’s a few of the things we’ve been working on.
The Rapid Advance of AVS
Since Louisiana’s age-verification law went into effect on January 1, nearly 20 AVS bills have been introduced in other states. FSC has been actively monitoring and analyzing these bills, reaching out to over 100 legislators, meeting with legal counsel, strategizing with tech and civil rights organizations, and generally speaking out about the massive privacy risks and free speech issues inherent in these bills.
Want to learn more? Visit our bill tracker here.
We’ve also been meeting with stakeholders within our industry — fan sites, cams, tubes, paysites, billers, performers and others — to strategize a better way forward. No one in our industry wants minors on our sites, but the AVS requirements being put forth here and abroad are legally, technologically and constitutionally unworkable. Now is the time to show the industry has a better way. If you’d like to be part of these discussions, or the larger fight, let us know.
Banking Discrimination
The FSC “Fight Back” panels on the last day of XBIZ were an incredible success — standing room only for over four hours, on a day when much of the conference had originally scheduled to depart. Our industry is clearly energized to fight back against the attacks we’re facing.
At the panel on banking discrimination, FSC lobbyist Pierre Whatley spoke about our incredible progress on Capitol Hill. We’re planning another trip to DC in the spring, and we need your support to make it happen. Whether you’re a member or not, donations to our action fund will help make it possible to enact game-changing banking rights for our industry. If you’re interested in lobbying with us, let us know using this form.
Couldn’t make it to the panels? Check out the FSC 2022 Annual Report to see what else we’ve been up to.
Legislative Committee
While mobilizing around the AVS legislation has been a huge focus, there’s even more on the horizon — a Supreme Court cases that could dismantle Section 230, a West Virginia bill that bans all adult businesses in the state, and the recent Circuit Court hearing over FOSTA-SESTA — which threaten our industry. We’ve been analyzing and strategizing responses to these, as well as the latest round of banking closures, a new wave of adult accounts shuttered on Twitter, and the ongoing culture wars in the press.
Like I said, it’s been a lot. But we’re an industry used to thriving in adversity, and I’m confident that we have the strength, the resilience and the smarts to fight back against discrimination and censorship — so long as we stick together.
Mike Stabile
FSC Director of Public Affairs
Twitter: @mikestabile
Ineffective, Unconstitutional, and Dangerous: The Problem with Age Verification Mandates (FSC)
Republicans Take Aim at Risque Jokes and Romance Novels in Anti-Sex Bills (The Guardian)
Adult Industry Fights Back Against Louisiana Porn Law (The Verdict)
Turgid Penises and Anal Clefts: New Bill Seeks to Outlaw Adult Businesses in West Virginia (VICE)
France Moves to Block Pornography Access to Minors (Reuters)