Free Speech Coalition



Sunday, July 01, 2007

Headlines Archive

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2007 Headlines Archive
6/28/2007	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMMENTS ON MEMBER-DRIVEN FUNDRAISING by Diane Duke What began with a simple call from Legendary Lars of AdultFriendFinder.com (AFF), stating that they would like to help the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) raise funds for its continued efforts with 2257, has evolved into a powerful tool in fighting government oppression and intrusion. AFF and its parent company, Various, Inc., not only initiated a fund-raising effort FSC on the website www.gfy.com, but also agreed to match donations up to $10,000.
6/18/2007	Adult Friend Finder Offers FSC Matching Grant to Battle 2257 Changes by Peter Warren (Courtesy of AVN) PALO ALTO, Calif. - Sexual networking site AdultFriendFinder.com has offered a grant to the Free Speech Coalition that will match donations up to $10,000 made to the organization in aid of its fight against certain amendments to the 18 U.S.C. ? 2257 record-keeping statute.
6/12/2007	Purveyors of porn scramble to keep up with Internet by by By Jon Swartz, (Courtesy of USA TODAY) SAN FRANCISCO. Major players in the adult-entertainment industry, long in the vanguard of technology use, now find themselves playing catch-up.
5/28/2007	Industry Tees Up to Support Haven House by Tom Hymes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Tarzana, Calif. - Monday was a perfect day for golf and the Braemar Country Club in Tarzana the perfect setting as about 140 golfers, many of them from the adult entertainment industry...
5/17/2007	Illinois Libraries Protest Internet Filtering Law by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chicago - A proposal that would require libraries across the state to use filters on public computers has been passed by the Illinois House of Representatives and is now being referred to the Senate's Rules Committee.
5/17/2007	Flynt Recounts Years of Adversity, Friendship with Falwell on Larry King by Tom Hymes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Hollywood, Calif. - Larry Flynt, the legendary publisher of Hustler Magazine, appeared on the Larry King show last night to talk about his professional and personal history with Christian evangelist...
5/9/2007	AVN Responds to American Family Association by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - James L. Lambert, a self-described "former pornography addict" who now sells mortgages, posted a column Tuesday on OneNewsNow, the American Family Association's...
4/19/2007	Proposed Porn Tax Bill Is Deja Vu All Over Again For Free Speech Coalition by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Sacramento - As the Free Speech Coalition gears up for its tenth annual Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days on April 22-23, it will be fighting the same fight it won during those very first lobbying days back in 1997: A porn tax bill...
4/18/2007	District Court Upholds Houston Anti-Adult Ordinance by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Houston - In what religio-conservative group Focus on the Family is calling "an aggressive assault on Houston's sex businesses," a federal court has now entered its final ruling denying Houston retailers and...
4/13/2007	Obscene Rant on MySpace Found Constitutionally Protected by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Indianapolis - An angry, obscenity-laden MySpace rant by a local middle school student aimed at her principle has been ruled as constitutionally protected by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
4/9/2007	Anti-Porn Group Plans to Deliver Anti-'Obscenity' Petitions in Six Kansas City Area Counties by Tod Hunter (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Kansas City - The National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families, along with pastors in the greater Kansas City area, plan to deliver petitions on May 17 requesting grand jury...
4/7/2007	Analysis: New U.S. Attorney Scandal Uncovered in Minnestota by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Minneapolis - U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose has only been on the job for a little more than a year, and she's already managed to alienate four of her top staff to the point that they've all voluntarily demoted...
4/3/2007	Colorado District Court Reaches Decision On Summary Judgment Motion in 2257 Case by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Denver, Colo. - On March 30, U.S. District Court Judge Walker D. Miller handed down a decision on the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Free Speech Coalition in its lawsuit against Attorney General...
3/30/2007	ICANN Shoots Down ICM's .XXX Proposal by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) LISBON, Portugal - ICM Registry again failed to become the .XXX sTLD registry after the Internet's policy-making board shot down its third attempt to get its proposal approved.
2/23/2007	News Analysis: Fifth Circuit Ignores Spirit of Alameda In Adult Bookstore Decision by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Fort Worth, Tx. - In a decision handed down Thursday, the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals delivered a blow to adult businesses in Kennedale, Tex. - and by extension, to all adult businesses...
2/20/2007	Michigan County Pushes for Adult Zoning Changes by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Petosky, Mich. - Emmet County's current ordinance for adult businesses may get stricter as the Planning Commission held the first of three public meetings on Monday for proposed zoning changes.
2/20/2007	Man Claims Internet Chatroom Addiction in Dispute Against IBM by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) White Plains, N.Y. - A man suing IBM for wrongful termination has said that his use of Internet chatrooms is a disability ? not unlike drug and alcohol addiction ? and that IBM?s decision to fire him for visiting adult chatrooms while at work violates the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
2/15/2007	11th Circuit Court of Appeals Says: No Fundamental Right to Sex Toys by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Atlanta - In a unanimous opinion, a three-judge panel for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an Alabama statute banning the commercial distribution of sex toys, saying that there is no fundamental right to privacy raised by the...
2/15/2007	Montana Lawmakers Look to Pass Stricter Adult Ordinances by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Great Falls, Mont. - The Montana House Judiciary Committee is considering enacting tighter adult ordinances. The Great Falls Tribune reported that the committee has been working on passing tougher legislation that would grant more power to the state's counties, cities and towns.
2/14/2007	ICRA Begins New Era, New Mission by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The Internet Content Ratings Association (ICRA) officially relaunched with its new name and expanded mission yesterday. The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) will work to...
1/6/2007	Dot-xxx Rides Again by Kathee Brewer (Courtesy of AVN.com) Marina del Rey, Calif. - Eight months after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) declined to approve a proposed contract with registrar-hopeful ICM Registry...
1/2/2007	Analysis: Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay and The Republican Moral High Ground by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - As everyone viewing this site must know by now, Republicans are the party of God; they are the moral guides of the government, just as their supporters among evangelical...
2006 Headlines Archive
12/21/2006	Analysis: Fox Broadcasting's Indecency Case Has Close Parallels To Adult's Obscenity Problems by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) New York - On Wednesday, the Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard argument in the broadcast indecency case of Fox Broadcasting v. Federal Communications Commission...
12/20/2006	Missouri Strip Club Law Struck Down by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Kansas City - The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a law banning nudity and imposing other restrictions on strip clubs violates the state constitution, according to a recently published report.
12/20/2006	Appeals Court Enforces Ban on Erotic Movement in Clubs by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Greenboro, N.C. ? In a far-reaching decision that could potentially make cheerleaders or pop singers a target for prosecution, a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ban on erotic simulation in adult entertainment venues throughout the state of North Carolina.
12/13/2006	directNIC Demands SlicksNetwork.com Hand Over Model IDs by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) New Orleans - In a move that could indicate further scrutiny by domain registrars, directNIC has demanded that TGP operator SlicksNetwork.com hand over model IDs on all performers it suspects...
12/13/2006	City of Fontana Tries to Shut Down Diamonds Strip Club by Vance Kingsley (Courtesy of AVN.com) Fontana, Calif. - City officials have filed suit in San Bernadino Superior Court in an attempt to shut down Diamonds Gentlemen?s Club on Foothill Boulevard.
12/12/2006	Sen. McCain Aims to Expand Federal Obscenity Reporting Law by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - Speaking at the close of the 2006 legislative term, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he plans to introduce legislation that would extend federal obscenity reporting guidelines to all forms...
12/11/2006	Congressional Bill Proposes Labeling for Adult Websites by David Sullivan (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - A federal spending bill recently submitted to Congress includes an added provision aimed at regulating porn websites, the Newark Star-Ledger reported.
12/11/2006	Kan. Lawmaker Seeks to Tax Adult Businesses by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Kansas City, Kan. ? In what appears to be a growing legislative trend to regulate brick-and-mortar adult stores, a lawmaker in Kansas has said he plans to introduce a bill that would require adult-oriented businesses to apply for an occupation license and pay a special tax.
12/11/2006	Internet Neutrality Supporters Call Lack of Vote on Telecom Bill "Huge Victory for Real People" by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Washington, DC - The 109th Congress has reached the close of its much-criticized session and has done so without further action on the bill HR 5252 - a massive telecommunications legislative...
12/8/2006	FTC to Hold Public Workshop on Net Neutrality by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The Federal Trade Commission will hold a public workshop Feb. 13-14, to discuss the issue of net neutrality. The FTC?s new committee, the Internet Access Task Force, will organize the workshop.
12/6/2006	Town Blocks Comcast On-Demand Over Porn by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) South Holland, Ill. - A tiny Chicago suburb has blocked Comcast cable's on-demand signal citing concerns that the citizens of the town will use the service to watch adult content.
12/6/2006	Man Arrested for "Terrorizing" Florida Sex Shop by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Gainesville, Fla. - A man accused of spewing hazardous material into a local sex shop with what authorities called a "weapon of mass destruction" was arrested and booked on Tuesday. The man was later released.
11/30/2006	Judge Rules Louisiana Video Game Law Unconstitutional, ESA Seeks Recovery of Legal Fees by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Baton Rouge, LA - Judge James Brady of the Federal District Court in Baton Rouge yesterday issued a permanent injunction against implementation of Louisiana's HB 1381, a law prohibiting the sale of some violent video games to...
11/29/2006	Louisiana Town Approves Adult Business Rules by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Tangipoah Parish, La. - Parish Council members approved a new ordinance restricting adult businesses that was based on a proposal submitted by a so-called pro-family legal group.
11/27/2006	Broadcasters Say FCC Crackdown is Unconstitutional by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - CBS Corp. and Fox Television Stations Inc. are calling the Federal Communications Commission's crackdown on TV profanity and nudity is unconstitutional.
11/27/2006	New FSC Executive Director Takes Control by John Stuart (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Diane Duke began her tenure today as executive director of the Free Speech Coalition. The former Planned Parenthood vice president also served on the Human Rights...
11/26/2006	U.S. Judge Grants Extension in Extreme Associates Case by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Pittsburgh - The federal judge to decide the U.S. government?s obscenity case against Extreme Associates owners Robert Zicari and Janet Romano agreed Tuesday to continue pretrial filings for three months.
11/22/2006	Fresno Officials Consider Moratorium on Adult Businesses by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Fresno, Calif. - City Council members are considering imposing a moratorium on adult businesses after residents spoke out against an adult bookstore that opened in January then was later forced to...
11/22/2006	DOJ, ACLU Make Closing Arguments in COPA Case; Judge's Ruling Expected in Early '07 by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Philadelphia, PA - Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union presented their closing arguments Monday in the case ACLU v. Gonzales, the ACLU's legal challenge of the Child Online...
11/21/2006	Calif. Ruling Rejects Libel for Online Republishers by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Sacramento, Calif. - In a decision that could have profound repercussions for web publishers, bloggers and anyone who posts to online message boards, the California Supreme Court said those who republish defamatory...
11/20/2006	Closing Arguments Begin in COPA Trial by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Philadelphia - After a four-week trial, U.S. District Judge Lowell Reed will hear closing arguments in the Child Online Protection Act case. The case, which pits a host of plaintiffs represented by the ACLU...
11/19/2006	Florida Adult Business Regulations Barely Pass by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Tampa, Fl. - Just a little over half of Tampa voters indicated that they want sexually oriented businesses regulated ?to the fullest extent of the law? after last week?s nonbinding referendum.
11/18/2006	Report Finds Adult-Themed Searches Rank High in Utah by Ken Knox (Courtesy of AVN.com) Salt Lake City - In a hypocritical twist of fate, it was reported that Utah - the state of God-fearing Mormons, Republican ideology, and famous home recipes for chocolate - may not be as upstanding as it seems.
11/17/2006	FSC Seeks Halt to All 2257 Inspections by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Los Angeles - Free Speech Coalition Chairman Jeffrey Douglas told XBIZ he believes that the FBI has violated a court-ordered injunction designed to protect FSC members who are defined as secondary producers.
11/10/2006	Nevada High Court Upholds Law Restricting Lap Dancing by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Carson City, Nev. - Those who like their Las Vegas lap dances with some fondling and caressing will have to go elsewhere after the Nevada Supreme Court banned dancers from getting too hands-on with their customers.
11/9/2006	Washington State: Exotic Dance Clubs Win Voter Referendum by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Seattle, Wa - By a 63% to 37% margin, voters here have overturned an exotic dance club ordinance which would have required dancers to stay 4 feet from patrons, banned direct tipping, outlawed private dances in VIP rooms and mandated bright lighting in the clubs.
11/8/2006	Dems Take House, Senate Too Close to Call in Midterms by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - With high voter turnout on the heels of a hotly contested midterm election, the U.S. electorate chiseled away at the Republican hold on the federal government, returning control of the House to the Democrats for the first time in 12 years...
11/8/2006	Jury Indicts Virginia Sex Shop Owners for Obscenity by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Stafford, Va. - A grand jury indicted a local sex shop along with its two owners on charges of violating the state's obscenity laws. The Free-Lance Star reported that Pheromoans Inc., Meagan J. Pacheco, 26, and Lesley O. Mason, 27, have each been charged with three misdemeanor counts. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
11/8/2006	Virginia Adult Store Owners Indicted for Obscenity by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) North Stafford, Va. - Two owners of the Virginia sex shop Pheromoans were indicted on three misdemeanor charges of violating the state's obscenity laws. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. In Virginia...
11/7/2006	Feds Emphatically Support Utah's Child Protection Registry by Darklady (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Washington, DC -- A statement written on behalf of the United States government made it crystal clear today that it plans to stay the course in its support of Utah's so-called Child Protection Registry in spite of concerns of redundancy and privacy risks expressed by the Free Speech Coalition and other civil rights groups.
11/6/2006	ASACP Introduces "Restricted to Adult" Website Label with RTALabel.org by Darklady (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Los Angeles, CA - In an attempt to proactively address Senate concerns about the adult online community and its access by minors, The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) has launched TRALabel.org, a free site dedicated to promoting the "Restricted To Adults" website label.
11/5/2006	Commentary: 'Voter Guides' Show Bias Against Adult by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Atsworth, Calif. - As this is written, it's three days before the election, and the numbers in the polls on single issues still aren't adding up to 100, which means that there are still apparently some "undecideds" out there.
11/5/2006	Commentary: Theocrats Count on The Power of Inertia by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - The past few months haven't been good for the theocrats. One by one, their Republican buddies in Congress and elsewhere ? Bob Ney, Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramoff, Porter Goss, Tom "Coingate" Noe, Mark Foley, Tom DeLay and others ? have been cashiered or jailed ... and now one of their own, Ted Haggard, has copped a "Clinton": Whether it's crystal or his gay masseur's cock, he "smoked" but he "didn't inhale."
11/2/2006	Study Suggests Social Benefits of Access to Online Porn by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Clemson, S.C. - An academic paper written by a Clemson University Economics professor suggests that there is a causal link between access to online adult entertainment and the instances of sexual assault. His conclusion: Increased Internet access is a factor in lowering the rape rate.
10/31/2006	Strip Club Owner Gets 16 Years in Prison by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Paso, Texas - A strip club owner was sentenced to 16 years in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine after her conviction on promoting prostitution. Phyllis Woodall, 50, owner of the Naked Harem, showed little emotion last Thursday when she was sentenced, the El Paso Times...
10/29/2006	Judge Rules Against Michigan Clubs in Ordinance Challenge by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Grand Rapids, Mich. - A lawsuit filed by Herb Newhouse, owner of the Little Red Barn Adult Theatre, and Mark London, owner of Sensation and Lady Godiva gentlemen????????s clubs, was recently dismissed as a U.S. District Judge ruled that a city ordinance restricting activity at sexually oriented businesses is valid.
10/14/2006	Web Experts: Foley Scandal Could Generate More Calls for Online Data Retention by Ericka Rachelle (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - The Internet Caucus Advisory Committee this week hosted a three-part panel series on legislating online child safety. The Internet Caucus is a bipartisan group composed of more than 170 members of the House and Senate working to educate their colleagues...
10/12/2006	FBI, Adult Companies Hold Meeting by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - In the first open dialogue with law enforcement since 2257 inspections began several months ago, a meeting took place today at FBI headquarters with a clutch of adult companies. The companies were joined by their attorneys and James Burrus, the...
10/10/2006	FBI Agents Inspect Legend's Records by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Agents from the FBI inspected performers records at Legend Video this morning, its co-owner Bruce Mendelsohn confirmed today. "the FBI arrived at 9 O'clock this morning and were very cordial and they asked to see the records for specific movies," Mendelsohnl said.
10/10/2006	Jeffrey Douglas: Latest 2257 Inspection Violates FSC Injunction by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Santa Monica, Calif. - Free Speech Coalition attorney Jeffrey Douglas, who also represents Chatsworth, Calif.-based Legend Video, said today's FBI inspection of the company's 2257 records was conducted in violation of an injunction issued in favor of the...
10/2/2006	Supreme Court Won't Hear Sex Toy Case by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a case involving a Texas law banning the sale of sex toys shaped like sexual organs. Ignacio Acosta, an employee at an adult bookstore...
9/29/2006	Academics: Online Users Can Be Identified With Clickprints by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Philadelphia - A computer science professorat the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School has joined with a colleague at the University of California at Davis to publish a paper on "clickprints,"...
9/28/2006	Commentary: Conservative Takeover Plans Revealed In Values Voter Summit Final Session by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - That happy feeling engendered by knowing that no true conservative, thanks to Rev. Don Wildmon's boycott, would ever again buy a car from Ford didn't last for those who went outside...
9/28/2006	Commentary: Clinton Jokes And Culture War Stories Highlight Values Voter Summit, Day 2 by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - Before entering the ballroom at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. for the beginning of the second day of the 2006 Values Voter Summit, I decided to check out what was actually in the "goodies bag" I'd been given at registration, as well as a few items I'd picked up in the course of Day 1.
9/27/2006	U.S. v. Karen Fletcher: Text of the Indictment by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Pittsburgh, Pa. - AVN has now obtained the text of the six-count indictment against webmistress Karen Fletcher in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
9/26/2006	Commentary: Values Voter Summit Continues to Rev Up the Troops by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - "Greetings from the President of the United States!" That's how Bush press flack (formerly Fox News talking head) Tony Snow began his segment of the 2006 Values Voter Summit, the last major theocrat conference to be held before the '06 elections, which took place at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 22-24.
9/25/2006	6 States Consider Online Dating Regulation, Critics Say Laws Would Be Unenforceable, Ineffective by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Cyberspace -- Citing concern over such portals being an online hunting ground for sexual predators and other criminals, lawmakers in a half-dozen states are considering new laws mandating the performance of criminal background checks by online dating sites,...
9/24/2006	Commentary: The 'Values' Are Clear at 2006 Values Voter Summit by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - Think of it as a sort of "Night of the Stars" for the Religious Right - and this was just the first day of the 2006 Values Voter Summit, part of a series of meetings of religious conservatives that co-sponsor Family Research Council (FRC), through its openly-political arm...
9/21/2006	Review: 'America's War On Sex' by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Almost since its founding 23 years ago, Adult Video News has reported on the government's attempts to suppress sexually explicit video, and in recent years has expanded its coverage...
9/19/2006	Gonzales Urges ISPs Data Retention, Banking Help by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales called upon Congress to require Internet service providers to retain customer records to aid prosecutors in building cases against people...
9/15/2006	Missouri High Court Considers Appeal of Adult Entertainment Law by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Jefferson City, Mo. - The Missouri Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments concerning the state's appeal of a decision by a Cole County Circuit Court Judge who threw out adult entertainment amendments last August.
9/14/2006	Critic Warns Regulation Could Thwart Video Online by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Boston - Speaking at the 10th anniversary VON show, a forum aimed at addressing issues surrounding the Internet, Jeff Pulver warned users of Internet video technology that FCC...
9/12/2006	Joe Francis' Company Pleads Guilty to '2257' Violations by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Los Angeles - Santa Monica-based Mantra Films Inc., which produces "Girls Gone Wild" videos has pleaded guilty as part of a plea deal, to failing to maintain age and identity documentation on performers who appear in its videos.
9/11/2006	Record Companies Sued Over Alleged Porn Videos of Minor by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Los Angeles - A teenage girl has sued Warner Music Group, Atlantic Records and others for allegedly coercing her to be in pornographic music videos.
9/8/2006	Calif. High Court Unlikely to Impose Liability for Online Speech by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Sacramento, Calif. - Justices of the California state Supreme Court hearing oral arguments in an online defamation case signaled that they were unwilling to impose liability on Internet service providers...
9/7/2006	City Opposes Proposed Oregon Strip Club by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Salem. Ore. - The City Council voted unanimously last week to oppose a liquor license application to the state's licensing board by the owners of a proposed strip club. Council members told the Salem News that if the board approves the club's liquor license that it would fight all...
9/6/2006	Louisiana Sheriffs Shut Down Adult Stores, Arrest Owners by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) West Monroe, La. - Due to obscenity laws that outlaw the sale of sex toys, Ouachita Parish sheriffs have shuttered three adult bookstores that sell sex toys and adult videos and arrested the owners. According to Louisiana state obscenity law 106.1, it is illegal to sell sex toys, but not to possess them.
9/5/2006	Adult Store Owner Sues City Over Regulations by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Richardson, Texas - The owner of an adult store has sued the North Texas city of Richardson, claiming its regulations for adult businesses are illegal. Adjust Video Inc., which owns the Zone D'Erotica store has sued the city claiming its...
9/4/2006	Study Says Spam Up, Porn Down by Matt O'Connor (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Lexington, Mass. ? While spam and malicious phishing emails continue flooding user inboxes, fewer adult companies are sending spam to promote their products ? and fewer hackers are using porn as bait ? according to a study from security software maker Ipswitch.
9/2/2006	Nevada Passes Regulation Forbidding Porn in Workplace by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Carson City, Nev. - Joining California and other states in their stand against porn in the workplace, Nevada officials have passed a regulation that makes viewing pornography on the job an offense worthy of immediate dismissal.
9/2/2006	Michigan Clubs Lose Court Ruling by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Grand Rapids, Mich. - Strip club operators say they plan to abide by a court ruling that allows the city to enforce new regulations that forces exotic dancers to cover up.
9/1/2006	Commentary: Harris Shows Effects of Religiosity on Politics by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Miami - AVN has recently been accused of having an anti-religious bias, and specifically a bias against Christians, but the simple fact is, as America's Founding Fathers knew, religion and politics are a bad mix. Nowhere is that more evident than in recent statements by...
9/1/2006	Family Groups Seek Indecency Fine for Emmys Broadcast, Meeting with Bush by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Washington DC - In its ongoing efforts to "cleanse" American society, nobody can accuse the Religious Right of lying down on the job.
8/31/2006	Calif. Supreme Court to Decide Topless Club's Jury Award by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) San Francisco - California's highest court has decided to review the extent of a city's responsibility when it obtained a preliminary injunction against an adult cabaret but eventually lost its case.
8/31/2006	Bush Nominates Conservatives to Appeals Court by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Nashville, Tenn. - President Bush has nominated five conservative GOP supporters as Appeals Court judges. Bush made the announcement Wednesday during a fundraiser for fellow Republican Bob Corker who faces Democrat Harold Ford Jr. in a Senate race.
8/30/2006	Brits Ban Possession of Violent Pornography by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) London - Following a 30-month campaign by Liz Longhurst, the mother of a slain schoolteacher, the British government has announced plans to make possession of violent pornography punishable by up to three years in prison.
8/30/2006	The Politics of Statistical Manipulation - Let's Leave Spurious Logic to Our Detractors by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) An article published by The Washington Post in June reported that the number of rapes per capita in the United States had declined precipitously ? a drop of greater than 85-percent ? between 1979 and 2004, according to ?federal crime data.?
8/29/2006	New Study Could Impact Social Policy by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) United Kingdom - A study to be published in the American Journal of Family Therapy looked at the online chatroom activities of 1,300 pre-teen girls ages 8 to 13 in several countries, including the U.K., U.S., Australia and Canada, over a five-year period.
8/26/2006	AlleyBucks CEO Launches Second Charity Bid for Message Board Banner Space by Ken Knox (Courtesy of AVN.com) Irvine, Calif. - AlleyBucks Chief Executive Officer John "BoyAlley" Paul is stepping up to the plate yet again. Just a month after he helped raise $5,000 to be donated to the Ray Guhn Defense Fund by auctioning off banner space in his...
8/25/2006	Christian Coalition Starting to Splinter? by Matt O'Connor (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington, D.C. ? Three state chapters of powerful conservative lobbying group the Christian Coalition have split from the national organization, signaling division in the group?s ranks.
8/22/2006	Eighth Circuit Invalidates Missouri Billboard Law by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Jefferson City, Mo. - The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals today unanimously invalidated Missouri Revised Statute 226.531, which prohibited advertising within one mile of a state highway by any business classified as an "adult cabaret" or "sexually oriented business."
8/22/2006	Deal Allows Adult Video Store to Open by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Fairview Heights, Ill. - The Fairview Heights City Council approved a temporary agreement with the owners of Pure Pleasure Megacenter, paving the way for the adult video and novelty store to open.
8/19/2006	Florida: County Delays Action on Adult Regulations by Eddie Adams (Courtesy of AVN.com) Hillsborough County, Fla. - A capacity crowd was on hand for a recent County Commissioners hearing concerning instituting tougher regulations for sexually oriented businesses. Strong opinions were expressed during the meeting, as the adult industry was represented by First..
8/18/2006	Embattled Adult Video Store Owner Makes Political Run by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Rover Beach, Calif. - The embattled owner of a controversial adult video store has filed papers to run for a seat on the Grover Beach City Council. Steve Diamond, owner of Diamond Video World here and a second adult video store in nearby Atascadero, said he is running...
8/17/2006	Federal Judge Orders End to NSA Wiretapping by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Detroit - The National Security Agency (NSA) will no longer be able to conduct domestic eavesdropping, according to a ruling by federal judge Anna Diggs Taylor, who said the Bush administration's actions contravened a range of constitutional provisions, including the right to free speech, protections against unreasonable searches and separation of powers.
8/17/2006	News Analysis: Congress Violates Separation Of Powers Over Child Porn Suspects by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington - In what appears to be a blatant violation of the Constitution's "separation of powers" doctrine, Congress, the federal legislative branch, has sidestepped the federal executive branch - in this case, the U.S. Department of Justice - and delivered to state prosecutors and attorneys general...
8/17/2006	3rd Circuit Rules PA. Statute Prohibiting "Lewd" Conduct at Liquor-Licensed Establishments Unconstitutional by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Philadelphia, PA - Philadelphia topless bar Club Risque and two of its dancers have achieved at least a partial victory in their challenge of a Pennsylvania statute prohibiting ???lewd, immoral or improper entertainment" at liquor-licensed establishments in the state.
8/16/2006	Lessig Calls for Free Content Online by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) San Francisco -? Speaking at the LinuxWorld Conference and Expo, intellectual property attorney and professor Lawrence Lessig pointed out the similarities between the fight for free software, such as Linux, and the struggle to make the Internet a forum for free content, saying that existing copyright laws are incompatible with how people disseminate culture online.
8/16/2006	FBI Conducts Another 2257 Inspection by Larissa Gates (Courtesy of AVN.com) Van Nuys, Calif. - The FBI on Wednesday morning conducted a search of 2257 records on the premises of Sunshine Films. The target of their search was reportedly records from All Good Video, which has not produced any new product in several years.
8/16/2006	Court Strikes Down Pennsylvania's "Lewd" Conduct Law by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Philadelphia - A U.S. Appeals Court here has struck down a Pennsylvania law that bars "lewd" behavior at businesses that serve liquor.
8/14/2006	U.S. Appeals Court Expands Right to Search Laptops by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) San Francisco, Calif. - Business trips just got more complicated for those relying on laptop computers. In a boon to prosecu- tors, a federal appeals court has ruled that U.S. guards at international borders may search and seize the contents of laptop computer files without probable cause.
8/12/2006	Carey to Run as Write-in Candidate for Governor by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Los Angeles - Coming up short on the signature front may keep porn star-turned-politician Mary Carey from appearing on the November ballot, but it won't keep her out of the election, as the gubernatorial candidate launched her write-in campaign.
8/11/2006	FBI: 2257 Inspections Off to Good Start by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The FBI has said it believes that 2257 federal record-keeping inspections of adult entertainment companies are off to a good start, according to a UPI report.
8/11/2006	Attorney Lawrence Walters on 'The O'Reilly Factor' by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) New York - First amendment lawyer Lawrence Walters was a featured guest on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" Thursday night, discussing the foiled terrorist plot in the U.K., and Scotland Yard's use of NSA (National Security Agency) wiretap surveillance to execute the arrests of 21 terrorist suspects who were plotting to down as many as 10 airlines headed to major U.S. cities.
8/10/2006	Kansas Grand Jury Indicts at Least 6 Stores by Matt O'Connor (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Wichita, Kan. - A Kansas grand jury has handed down obscenity indictments against at least six adult book and video stores in the state. Attorney Charlie O'Hara told XBIZ that six of the stores he represents in Wichita and Topeka are facing charges.
8/10/2006	Study: More Kids Exposed to Online Porn, Fewer Predators by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Durham, N.H. - A study of online child safety from the University of New Hampshire's Crimes Against Children Research Center presented a mixed bag, finding that while incidents of predators approaching children were down, the rate of children being exposed to adult content online was up.
8/9/2006	Theocrats Call On Justice Department To Bust Hotel Pay-Per-View by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Cincinnati - Spearheaded by Phil Burress' Citizens for Community Values (CCV), 13 religio-reactionary groups claimed to have placed an ad in today's USA Today calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute companies which supply adult videos for hotel pay-per-view systems.
8/7/2006	Senate Proposes Patent Overhaul by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - Adult webmasters who develop, use and license the technology that drives porn online may soon find themselves operating under a different set of rules, if a recently introduced bill that overhauls the U.S. patent system becomes law.
8/6/2006	CDT Says Free Speech Online Under Attack by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - Free speech online is facing its greatest legal opposition in a decade, the Center for Democracy and Technology said about two bills currently working their way through Congress.
8/5/2006	Utah Supreme Court Upholds Nude Dancing Ban by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Salt Lake City - The Utah Supreme Court has upheld an ordinance prohibiting nude dancing at strip clubs and other adult entertainment businesses. American Bush, a strip club in South Salt Lake, sued in November 2003 to overturn the city's ordinance against nude dancing which was passed in March 2001.
8/4/2006	Mandatory Labeling Law Moving Quickly in the Senate by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington, DC - A provision for mandatory labeling of sexually explicit content online has been inserted - without a hearing - into a "must pass" Senate Appropriations bill (H.R. 5672) which has already been voted out of the Commerce Committee.
8/3/2006	Adult Entertainment Gives Something Back by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Los Angeles - The fact that there is no such thing as nonprofit porn hasn't stopped a handful of adult entertainment notables from giving something back to their communities. Among the companies and individuals taking time out for charity are Dane Productions, KSEX, Hustler and Shy Love.
8/2/2006	Commentary: Sadly, Free Speech Must Look For A New Executive Director by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - In a surprise announcement yesterday, Free Speech Coalition revealed that its current executive director (ED), Michelle Freridge, will be stepping down from that position, and that a search for a new ED is currently being mounted.
8/1/2006	Congress Looking at Cutting Off Offshore Tax Havens by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washginton - Offshore tax havens might be a thing of the past, if some in Congress get their way. Several legislators are pushing for new rules that would affect businesses, particularly the numerous online adult companies that operate overseas, in tandem with a new U.S. study, titled ???Tax Haven Abuses: The Enablers, the Tools and Secrecy.???
8/1/2006	Robert Hill Releasing Target of 2257 Investigation by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - As of 1 p.m. today, FBI agents were taking a lunch break in the middle of investigating the 2257 records of noted specialty company Robert Hill Releasing.
7/31/2006	Anti-porn Group Launches Mail Campaign by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Hamilton, Ohio - Cincinnati-based anti-pornography group Citizens for Community Values is taking its fight to rid Butler County of adult materials and sexually oriented businesses to the people with the launch of a 6,000 strong direct mail campaign.
7/30/2006	Analysis: How the State Supreme Court HIV Ruling Affects Adult by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Describing the situation as "a sad case," California Supreme Court Justice Marvin R. Baxter has authored the majority ruling in a marital dispute that could have major repercussions for the adult video industry.
7/29/2006	U.S. Bill Targets Chatrooms, Social Networking by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The House of Representatives Thursday passed legislation that would effectively expand an earlier law called the Children's Internet Protection Act, which requires libraries and schools to filter sexually explicit material.
7/28/2006	Gartman, McDowell Sentenced to Prison in Obscenity Case by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Dallas - Clarence Thomas Gartman and his partner (and brother-in-law) Brent Alan McDowell were sentenced in federal court in Dallas Thursday to, respectively, 34 and 30 months in prison, after having been found guilty in a five-day trial in March for having mailed obscene material and "aiding and abetting."
7/28/2006	FBI Continues Search for 2257 Violators by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Bethlehem, Pa. - Amateur gay producer Sebastian Sloane Productions was the target of a second investigation over 2257 records that apparently is spreading nationwide.
7/28/2006	Sebastian Sloane Productions Target of Second Reported 2257 Investigation by MJ McMahon (Courtesy of AVN.com) Bethlehem, Penn. - Amateur gay content producer Sebastian Sloane Productions was the target of the second reported 18 U.S.C. ? 2257 investigation this morning, according to owner JJ Ruch.
7/27/2006	Industry Alert: Bush Signs Resolution to House Bill 4472; 2257 Statute Revamped by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - What do Megan Kanka, Jetseta Gage, Jessica Lunsford, Sarah Lunde, Amy Zyla, Christy Ann Fornoff, Polly Klaas, Jimmy Ryce, Carlie Brucia, Amanda Brown, Molly Bish, Samantha Runnion and Adam Walsh all have in common?
7/27/2006	Deceptive Source Code Law Part of Adam Walsh Act by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington, DC - The mandatory labeling bill by Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) called the "Stop Adults' Facilitation of the Exploitation of Youth Act," or "Internet SAFETY Act,"?? (S.3499) thankfully did not get out of committee this year.
7/26/2006	Judge Blocks Texas Agency From Seizing Porn, Cites 1st Amendment by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Houston - The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) will no longer be able to seize adult videos and publications it deems obscene without first securing a court order, according to a ruling from a federal judge.
7/25/2006	House Passes H.R. 4472 by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - A bill that could drama- tically alter the 2257 record-keeping statute has moved one step closer to becoming law as the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, sending the legislation to President Bush for his signature.
7/23/2006	Industry Alert: Senate Agrees to Revamping of 2257 Statute by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - What do Megan Kanka, Jetseta Gage, Jessica Lunsford, Sarah Lunde, Amy Zyla, Christy Ann Fornoff, Polly Klaas, Jimmy Ryce, Carlie Brucia, Amanda Brown, Molly Bish, Samantha Runnion and Adam Walsh all have in common?
7/21/2006	Commentary: Squelching Adult Speech and Wasting Taxpayer Dollars by By Robert D. Richards & Clay Calvert Los Angeles - The red carpet is rolled out, as the celebrities arrive and the cameras flash, with klieg lights shooting high up into the air on a warm July Saturday night in downtown Los Angeles.
7/20/2006	Exotic Dance Club Loses Appeal Over Alcohol Issue by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Philadelphia, Pa. -- The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a summary judgment by U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler of the District of New Jersey in 181 South Inc. v. Fischer, a challenge of a New Jersey law prohibiting "lewdness or immoral activity" -- interpreted to include exotic dancing -- in clubs that serve alcohol.
7/19/2006	AIM Offers HPV/Cervical Cancer Vaccine by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Los Angeles - The Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation (AIM) has become one of the first clinics in the nation to offer the HPV/Cervical Cancer vaccine to women, recommending it to all female talent working in the adult entertainment industry.
7/19/2006	Israel Cracks Down on Porn by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Jerusalem ? Internet porn may soon be unavailable in Israel if lawmakers from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party have their way; the group set fourth a two-pronged piece of legislation aimed at curbing online adult content in the country.
7/17/2006	'Night of the Stars' Is All Business by Mike Albo (Courtesy of AVN.com) Los Angeles - The Free Speech Coalition held its 19th annual "Night of The Stars" Awards Show Saturday night at the Los Angeles Center Studios downtown. With Sister of Perpetual Indulgence Roma and Tim Valenti serving as co-hosts and presenters, the evening had a definite flamboyant edge. Think Sonny and Cher filtered through an LSD fog.
7/15/2006	FSC to Honor Jill Kelly, Mr. Marcus and Others by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Adult performers Jill Kelly, Mr. Marcus and gay performer Michael Brandon will be among those that will be honored at the Free Speech Coalition's 19th annual Night of the Stars to be held at 7 p.m. [today] at L.A. Center Studios, 450 S. Bixel St. in downtown Los Angeles.
7/12/2006	Court Rules in Cleanflicks Case by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Denver - U.S. District Judge Richard Matsch has ruled in favor of the Directors Guild of America and a group of prominent movie directors, including Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh and Steven Spielberg...
7/10/2006	AVN Editorial: The Porn Math Lesson by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - Remember how, after Sept. 11, 2001 and the swift passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, when a lot of us civil libertarian types were warning that if the U.S. began restricting civil liberties - targeting Middle Easterners for searches, holding people in prisons without...
7/8/2006	Commentary: Morality in Media Chief Needs A Science Lesson by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) New York - In light of the plummeting rape statistics nationwide, and the temerity of one Chicago Tribune columnist to question whether that drop could be attributable to more people watching more porn, Morality In Media president Robert Peters has decided to weigh in on the question of whether that cause-and-effect exists. In the process, Peters reveals how little he knows about science.
7/6/2006	ASACP to Offer "Adults Only" Label by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Los Angeles - To better help parents filter adult content from their children online, the ASACP plans to trademark an "adults only" label. The nonprofit will offer the label to the adult entertainment industry.
7/3/2006	Judge Says City Illegally Closed Adult Store by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of AVN.com) Chatsworth, Calif. - An Allegheny County judge has ruled that an adult novelty store was illegally forced to close. Judge Joseph M. James ruled Thursday that the Robinson Township Zoning Hearing Board failed to follow the rules of its own ordinance when it forced...
6/30/2006	News Analysis: It's People Vs. Freeman, Florida Style by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Pensacola, Fla. - Any of this look familiar?: "Defendant ... hired and paid actors to perform in a nonobscene commercial film which portrayed sexually explicit acts. On that account he was charged with and convicted of five counts of pandering...
6/29/2006	Senate Panel Rejects Net Neutrality by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - In a narrow vote, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee failed to enforce strict net neutrality regulations. The panel, knotted at 11-11, rejected the Democrat-backed bill. A majority was needed for the bill to pass.
6/29/2006	Senate Telecommunications Bill Update by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington - The Senate Commerce Committee has voted to send a broad telecommunications bill -- the Communications, Consumer's Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act -- to the full Senate for a vote.
6/28/2006	Senate Approves Web Labeling; Bill Faces House Battle by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, with the backing of the Bush administration, approved an amendment to a wide-ranging telecommunications bill that would require mandatory website labeling on pages that contain explicit sexual images.
6/27/2006	Idaho: Store Owners Bend to Pressure, Decide to Move by Matt O'Conner (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Twin Falls, Idaho - Despite promising not to buckle to public pressure, the owners of retail store Naughty But Nice have decided to pack up shop and vacate their location.
6/26/2006	Webmaster Ray Guhn Arrested in Florida by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Pensacola, Fla. - Webmaster Clinton Raymond McCowen, aka Ray Guhn, was arrested on Friday along with his partner Kevin Patrick Stevens, and charged with racketeering, engaging in prostitution and the manufacture and sale of obscene material.
6/22/2006	Staying of Amended 2257 Marks 1-Year Anniversary by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington - The now historic order by Judge Walker D. Miller to stay the enforcement of the new rules imposed on 2257, the federal record-keeping and labeling requirement for adult content, has reached its one-year anniversary.
6/19/2006	Advertiser Pulls MySpace Ad, Citing Porn by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Santa Monica, Calif. - Advertisers on the social networking MySpace.com - now a News Corp. property - have objected to their ads appearing on pages belonging to porn stars such as Jenna Jameson and Tera Patrick.
6/19/2006	Australia to Subsidize Internet Filter by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Sydney - Having explored many options to keep children from accessing pornography, Australian Communications Minister Helen Coonan has decided on a federal subsidy for parents who buy filtering software for their home computers.
6/19/2006	Net Neutrality Enhancements Considered in Senate Committee by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington, DC - Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) has modified his version of the proposed telecom legislation to include protections for net neutrality, and has added a new section called "Internet Consumer Bill of Rights Act,"
6/15/2006	News Analysis: The Pornography Jurisdiction Limitation Act by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Washington, D.C. - You've heard of the First Amendment, right? You know, that pesky constitutional amendment that says, in part, "Congress shall make no law ... abridging freedom of speech, or of the press." And you've probably seen it argued here
6/15/2006	Senate Bill with Heavy Penalties Introduced by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington, DC -- Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) along with eight Republican co-sponsors has introduce S. 3499, a bill that includes a range of new and very harsh penalties related to both child pornography and adult...
6/14/2006	Utah PTA and Legislators File Amicus in FSC v. Shurtleff by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Salt Lake City, UT - Utah's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and 37 state legislators have filed an application of Amici Curiae (friend-of-the-court brief) against the Free Speech Coalition's (FSC) challenge to the Utah Child Protection Registry.
6/14/2006	New Anti-porn Legislation Proposed by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Washington, D.C. - Angry over rulings by federal courts striking down anti-porn legislation on 1st Amendment ground, Rep. Chris Cannon, R-UT, has proposed a new bill that would take jurisdiction in such cases away from the federal...
6/13/2006	Canadian ISPs Look to Ban Porn Sites Without Going to Court by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Toronto - A proposal at the Canadian Telecom Summit could pave the way for Internet service providers to remove objectionable websites, including those that contain pornography, without having to engage in protracted legal engagements with site
6/11/2006	Obscenity Ban Fails, Zoning Plan OKd in Montana by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Billings, Mont. - Voters in Yellowstone County last week defeated a proposed ordinance that would criminalize "obscenity"?? made available to one or more people of any age.
6/7/2006	Upstate N.Y. Town Restricts Adult Stores by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Kendall, N.Y. -? Adult stores are under siege in a small New York town near Rochester. The Kendall Town Board is expected to pass an amendment to a local zoning ordinance that aims to restrict the locations of adult businesses.
6/7/2006	Cannon Aims to Strip Federal Courts of Obscenity Jurisdiction by Darklady (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Washington, DC -- If Utah Represen- tative Chris Cannon gets his way, the Supreme Court will never be faced with another state pornography case again. Not because states will stop pushing for obscenity related convictions...
6/5/2006	Five Star Case May Be on Fast Track by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Phoenix - By order of U.S. District Magistrate Edward C. Voss, the indictment against Five Star Video and its owners, as well as JM Productions and its owner, was unsealed on June 1 - but that's not the most interesting...
6/1/2006	JM Productions Indicted on Federal Obscenity Charges by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Phoenix - Federal indictments charging seven counts of interstate trafficking in obscene material were reportedly unsealed today against JM Productions and its principal Jeff Steward, as well as retailer/Internet distributor Five Star Video...
6/1/2006	Eddie Wedelstedt Begins 13-Month Prison Sentence by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of AVN.com) Denver - Veteran adult industry entrepreneur Eddie Wedelstedt, owner of Goalie Entertainment and its chain of retail outlets, will today begin serving the 13-month sentence handed down by federal district Judge Ed Kinkeade...
5/31/2006	ICM Registry Opens "Industry Reservation" Period for .XXX, in Spite of Recent ICANN Vote by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Cyberspace - As an old saying often attributed to Yogi Berra goes, "It ain't over 'til it's over." ICM Registry, the registry operator whose application for a new .XXX sponsored top-level domain was rejected by the Internet Corporation
5/31/2006	Moonlighting Porn Cops Not Protected, Appeals Court Says by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Palm Beach, Fla. - Porn and the law have once again brushed up against each other, and this time an appeals court has determined that two Palm Beach police officers moonlighting as adult content cannot enjoy protections of the 1st and 14th Amendments.
5/29/2006	Despite Earlier Rejection, ICM Plans .XXX Domain Reservation by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Jupiter, Fla. - ICM Registry, which was unsuccessful in obtaining ICANN Board support for the .XXX sponsored top-level-domain, plans on creating an ???industry reservation" period for .XXX domain names despite the rejection, XBIZ has learned.
5/26/2006	New York Seeks to Regulate Domain Names by Steve Javors (Courtesy of XBIZ.com) Albany, N.Y. - According to a New York State proposal if you're a fan thinking of buying a domain named after your favorite adult star, think again. A new bill seeks to outlaw the domain name registration of a living person by another person, with
5/25/2006	City Blocks Boston Adult Store's Plans to Relocate by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of avn.com) Boston - City officials have filed a cease-and-desist order against the owners of Moonlite Reader adult video store who relocated their business to a building near a Little League baseball field.
5/25/2006	Florida City Forces Adult Store to Move by Thomas J. Stanton (Courtesy of avn.com) New Smyrna Beach, Fla. - The Florida city has approved an agreement with the owner of an adult video store that would make the business leave its current location after three years.
5/20/2006	Ohio 2257 Decision Could Impact FSC Case by Matt O'Conner (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Cleveland, Ohio - A U.S. District Court judge has denied a request from Connection Distributing, publisher of swingers magazines and a website, for injunctive relief against enforcement of 2257 record-keeping regulations.
5/19/2006	ICM Registry Appeals to ICANN for Reconsideration, Files Violation of Freedom of Information Act Complaint by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Cyberspace - In documents posted to its website today, ICM Registry disclosed that it has filed a ?motion of reconsideration" to ICANN and a complaint against the Department of Commerce in the DC Court.
5/18/2006	Gonzales Announces Implementation of Project Safe Childhood; Warns About Effects of ?Obscenity." by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) Washington, D.C. - In prepared remarks announcing the launch of Project Safe Childhood, a new federal child-protective initiative, Gonzales spoke not only of his concern over an "epidemic of sexual abuse and exploitation of our children,"
5/15/2006	Supreme Court Denies Certiorari in Extreme Associates Case by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) WASHINGTON, DC ? The Supreme Court has denied a petition for a writ of certiorari (or ?denied cert,? as it is more commonly known) in the case of Extreme Associates v. United States, according to a list of orders for May 15th posted to the Supreme
5/15/2006	Sensenbrenner Bill Would Log Internet Records by Steve Javors (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Washington, D.C. - If Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) had his way, Internet service providers would retain users activity records for a "reasonable amount of time."? The legislation Sensenbrenner is going to propose, according to
5/11/2006	Republicans Target Social Networking Sites by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Washington, D.C. ? In a move that could have far-reaching implications for operators of social networking sites ? adult-oriented and general interest alike ? House Republicans have announced legislation that would restrict minor?s access to the si
5/10/2006	ICANN Board Rejects .XXX TLD in 9-to-5 Vote by Tom Hymes (Free Speech Coalition) Marina del Rey, Calif. - In a 9 to 5 vote, the Board of Directors of ICANN, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, today rejected the ICM Registry application that would have established a voluntary .XXX top-level domain (TLD)
5/9/2006	Store Busted in Oklahoma, Porn Confiscated by Michael Hayes (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Pocola, Okla. - Police raided and closed a local adult video store, alleging that the store sold material in violation of state obscenity laws.
5/8/2006	Larry Flynt Calls on ICANN to Reject .XXX by Gretchen Gallen (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Beverly Hills, Calif. ? With the fate of the .XXX top-level domain likely to be decided on Wednesday, porn titan Larry Flynt, owner of the LFP publishing and Internet conglomerate, has weighed in on the matter and he gives it the thumbs down.
5/4/2006	FSC Files Motion for Preliminary Injunction Over Utah Registry by Rhett Pardon (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) Salt Lake City, Utah ? The Free Speech Coalition filed a motion in federal court Thursday seeking a preliminary injunction to enjoin enforcement of Utah?s Child Protection Registry.
5/1/2006	Wireless Carriers Set Strict Decency Standards for Content by Larissa Gates (Courtesy of avn.com) WASHINGTON - As music and video programming becomes widely available for cell phones, major U.S. wireless carriers are quietly setting strict decency standards for their content partners in an effort to stave off criticism from customers and regulators,
4/21/2006	Vegas Strip Club Owners Challenge State Tax by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of avn.com) LAS VEGAS - The owners of eight strip clubs have asked a federal judge to throw out Nevada???s live entertainment tax, claiming it???s a violation of their First Amendment rights.
4/20/2006	Nevada Adult Clubs Cite 1st Amendment Over 10% Tax by Andrew Noyes (Courtesy of Xbiz.com) LAS VEGAS ? More than a half-dozen Nevada adult entertainment venues are suing the state, claiming its Live Entertainment Tax is an unconstitutional tax on an expressive activity protected by the 1st Amendment.
4/19/2006	ICM Registry Submits Revised Proposed .XXX Registry Agreement to ICANN; New Comment Period Commences by Tom Hymes (Free Speech Coalition) Marina del Rey, Ca - A revised proposed .XXX Registry Agreement was submitted to ICANN by ICM Registry yesterday, for consideration by the Board of Directors in a meeting May 10. Some of the changes and clarifications made to the revised Agreement were i
4/17/2006	Extreme Associates Petitions The U.S. Supreme Court by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) CINCINNATI - After months of preparation, the Petition for Writ of Certiorari of Extreme Associates, Rob Black and Lizzy Borden has been completed and is on its way to the clerk of the United States Supreme Court - the defendants' last s
4/10/2006	11th Circuit Overturns Pandering Portion of PROTECT Act by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) ATLANTA - In a ruling supportive of the First Amendment which was announced Thursday, the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that 18 U.S.C. ????2252A(a)(3)(B) of the PROTECT Act, which criminalizes the non-commercial pandering of images of
3/16/2006	Senators Baucus and Pryor Author Bill to Create Mandatory Adult TLD by Q. Boyer (Courtesy of YNOT.com) WASHINGTON, DC -? Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) introduced new legislation today that would serve to require websites that contain "?material that is harmful to minors" to operate from a new Top-Level Domain. The senat
3/13/2006	The Senate Takes a Look at Pamphleteers by Thomas J. Stanton (Courtesy of avn.com) Washington, D.C. - A recent story reported that in the eyes of one conservative group, a lesser-known Senate lobbying proposal would have forced Revolutionary patriots to reveal their leafleting routes to King George.
3/8/2006	FSC Blasts New Bill Toughening Record Keeping Law by Carlos Martinez (Courtesy of avn.com) CANOGA PARK, Calif. - The industry trade group, Free Speech Coalition, is blasting the House of Representatives???????? passage on Wednesday of a bill that would toughen record keeping requirements for the adult industry.
3/7/2006	Wedelstedt: "Justice" In Dallas by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) Dallas, Texas - The drive from the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport is not without its humorous moments. One passes under the President George Bush Turnpike that runs through Irving, Texas (isn't it common form for a president to be dead before naming structure
3/3/2006	Wedelstedt Sentenced to Federal Prison Camp by Dan Miller as Reported by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) Dallas, Texas - Goalie Entertainment owner Edward Wedelstedt on Thursday was sentenced to 13 months in Englewood Federal Prison Camp in Littleton, Colorado as part of his guilty plea to one count of obscenity.
2/28/2006	Property Rights Trump Zoning In Colorado by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) DENVER - Veteran adult business defenders Art Schwartz and Michael Gross have just won a couple of major victories over Colorado zoning ordinances statewide, where local authorities have attempted to close an adult cabaret and a bookstore based on set-ba
2/23/2006	FSC Responds To Motion to Dismiss 2257 Lawsuit by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) CHATSWORTH, Calif. - Attorneys for the Free Speech Coalition (FSC) have filed the plaintiffs' response to a motion by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for summary judgment in Free Speech Coalition v. Gonzales, FSC's lawsuit to strike down 18 U.S.C. ?
2/22/2006	Google Stung by Judge's Ruling on Explicit Photos by Thomas J. Stanton (Courtesy of avn.com) LOS ANGELES - According to a U.S. judge, Internet giant Google Inc. infringed copyright rules by posting explicit, thumbnail-size photos from other websites on its search results pages, according to a published report.
2/2/2006	Analysis: The Alito Problem by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) Washington, D.C. - The confirmation of Third Circuit Appeals Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court cements a plurality of hard-line conservatives on the nation's highest court, and arguably gives control of all three branches of the United States
1/25/2006	Commentary: Mr. Cambria Goes to Washington: Christian Mann Responds to Critics of Cambria's Senate Testimony by Christian Mann North Hollywood, Calif. - After watching the proceedings in front of the Senate Committee, culminating with Paul Cambria's statement and the ensuing Q&A;, I expected the litany of second-guessing and armchair lawyering from the gallery, i.e. the different
1/21/2006	Does Paul Cambria Speak for You? Attorney Misses Golden Opportunities in Senate Testimony by Connor Young (Courtesy of YNOT.com) On a lazy Thursday afternoon I found myself watching C-SPAN with a mixture of frustration and disappointment as respected adult industry attorney Paul Cambria got up before a United States Senate committee and made a number of extremely unfortunate mista
1/21/2006	Industry Representative at Senate Hearing by Layne Winklebleck (Free Speech Coalition) Washington, DC - Misinformation and threats of legislative action against the adult Internet characterized a recent hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee here, titled ?Protecting Children on the Internet.?."
1/3/2006	2257 Ruling Draws Mixed Reactions from Attorneys by Mark Kernes (Courtesy of avn.com) Chatswroth Calif. - The majority of the industry breathed a sign of relief when AVN.com published its analysis of the ruling by Judge Walker D. Miller on the preliminary injunction sought by Free Speech Coalition (FSC) in its lawsuit against the 2257 law