New 2257 Requirements for U.S. Webmasters

[c-lo]

Well it's been a long time since I've posted here, usually I just browse the forums, but I felt this was definitely post-worthy.

The Free Speech Coalition had their court case on March 30th and it would seem they didn't do so well. In case you didnt know, they are the guys that represent the adult industry in legal battles and such.

Here's the scoop! (http://avnonline.com/index_cache.php?Primary_Navigation=Web_Exclusive_N ews&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=286357)

It's rather horrible news...basically all sites with thumbnails must have valid IDs for EVERY performer...which means that thumb sites hosted by U.S. citizens and/or on U.S. servers will become obsolete unless you can get an ID for every model in every gallery posted on your site.

A second follow-up ruling is coming on or after May 1, 2007.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...
c-lo

[toker]

Sadly this already caused many to try and hide with foreign addresses and overseas hosting. I have a feeling it wont be to long before they realize how dumb that is when the checks are being paid to a US tax number. If this thing moves forward and some big sponsor ends up turning over its data many are going to get nailed. About the only good thing that will come from this is that many small guys will be forced out and big programs will making more money for themselves.

Sad to say if you value freedom and want to remain in porn the great USA is probably not the best place to live. I would not be suprised if a follow up law were to be laid out to prevent folks in the US from buying porn. Afterall if you save it to your PC and you dont catalog your images to show which site they are from from then you cannot prove its legal.

[BIGTYMER]

Fucking bullshit....................

[c-lo]

Sadly this already caused many to try and hide with foreign addresses and overseas hosting. I have a feeling it wont be to long before they realize how dumb that is when the checks are being paid to a US tax number. If this thing moves forward and some big sponsor ends up turning over its data many are going to get nailed. About the only good thing that will come from this is that many small guys will be forced out and big programs will making more money for themselves.

Sad to say if you value freedom and want to remain in porn the great USA is probably not the best place to live. I would not be suprised if a follow up law were to be laid out to prevent folks in the US from buying porn. Afterall if you save it to your PC and you dont catalog your images to show which site they are from from then you cannot prove its legal.

Yeah, dumb move with the foreign hosting...it's always been that if you are inside the US, despite where your content is, you must keep docs.

The "good" news is that we can all switch to 100% text sites and avoid it altogether.

I think the flaw in your "illegal to buy porn" scenario is that by buying porn you don't have to keep the link since you're not redistributing it, reproducing it, etc...

Anyway, as BigTymer stated...this is indeed a bunch of fucking bullshit.

later
c-lo

[icefire]

In my case all these changes are for good because I had two years to redesign my network and prepare everything for when the time comes... and it came :) I was expecting it to come for the 3rd quarter of 2007, but seems someone is rushing.

From my point of view this will end doing these good things:

1 ) Lots of freeloader feeder webmasters will go down, thus there will be less free content around for the surfer and he will have to signup. I just cannot wait till they start going for people sharing porn on p2p like the RIAA and MPAA goes against people sharing music.
2 ) Lots of people will just pack and go. This includes also some small sponsors. Don't be fooled with "I move servers to EU and I'm done" thingie. Visa and Master Card still require you to have all the legal docs and if you don't have them you are doomed. At the end of the day this means less competition.
3 ) Lots of sponsors who will not pack and go in point #2 will have to pack and go or reinvent their advertising when time comes. In my personal case GalaxyCash will host all the affiliates on it's own servers (for free), so no docs problems there. Other sponsors could get killed by server bills. For Galaxy Media (the company that runs GalaxyCash) this is not a problem at all because it also runs a hosting business, so bandwidth and servers are never an issue. Also the accounting is done assuming the extra servers cost :)

Less free content and less competition is good.

Quoting myself from some distant past posts... It's big, it's coming and it will eat you :)

Free advice: When you see blood on the streets, buy land. If you don't understand it, just wait 3-12 months and you will see. It has already started.

[ackeric]

As a content producer( all be it a new one) The thing that will effect me the most is the requirment that the Models ID be of us origain. I have been getting models taveling to NYC on holiday And have wanted to film. I also Had two models comming from norway next month. I do not belive I will be able to use them. Lucky I have only had one shoot using non US id and have not used it yet. Maybe I will drive north of the border for a few weeks.

[Serious]

Sponsors have to provide sanitized docs to their US affiliates.

[NobleSavage]

In my case all these changes are for good because I had two years to redesign my network and prepare everything for when the time comes... and it came :)

Not quite yet. The court basically said, among other things, that Adam Walsh replaces the 2257 arguments that the FSC case rested on. Now the FSC will have to present a new constitutional argument against Adam Walsh. If they lose on that, it can still be appealed to SCOUS (no guarantee that they will accept it, but the possibility remains.)



1 ) Lots of freeloader feeder webmasters will go down, thus there will be less free content around for the surfer and he will have to signup.
Or it just stays the same - the world is a big place and there are plenty of webmaster not in the US who can mantain the status quo.


I just cannot wait till they start going for people sharing porn on p2p like the RIAA and MPAA goes against people sharing music. Hasn't done any good - there are more file sharing sites than ever - all they have done is piss off their customers.

[NobleSavage]

Sponsors have to provide sanitized docs to their US affiliates.

That is a possiblility. The court said, "primary producers may obliterate from identification documents the performers' addresses, social security numbers and all but the year from their dates of birth."

NScash has done all this for every single scene and they will have it ready to go the instant it is necessary. So other sponsors can do the same or lose traffic...

[mistman]

interesting to see US killing its own industry. I guess porn was next on the list after gambling.

[basschick]

these regs came into being on june 23, 2005 - they aren't new, they've just been newly validated by a judge.

[SPACE GLIDER]

the world is a big place and there are plenty of webmaster not in the US who can mantain the status quo.

You really think so?

[Yogi]

Time to move to Belize. And here I thought we were a 'free' country

[NobleSavage]

You really think so?

Yep. The US guys would just sell their sites to their friends in Canada or some other country. The sites that shut down would just make it easier for non-US webmasters to get traffic. I'd say about 1/3 to 1/2 of the guys I trade traffic and links with are not in the US. I doubt surfers would be inconviencied much when looking for porn.

[c-lo]

these regs came into being on june 23, 2005 - they aren't new, they've just been newly validated by a judge.

True. Same 2257 with a few new additions...not a complete reworking, of course.

[konur]

time to get out of adult. wish i had the option to go into construction or something.