“Protecting Kids” or Censoring Queer Creators? The Real Impact of New Laws
Let’s get right to it: the latest wave of state-mandated age-verification laws aren’t keeping kids safe—they’re quietly destroying independent queer porn and small creators everywhere.
“If you’re indie, queer, or trans, your days of making a living online are numbered if this keeps up. That’s not a bug. It’s the feature.”
What’s happening? States from Louisiana to Texas are passing draconian rules demanding porn sites collect government IDs or even biometric data from every viewer. The supposed goal? “To protect children.” But in practice, these measures are tanking traffic, shuttering sites, and forcing creators—especially marginalized ones—off the digital map.
The Myth of Safety
AVN and XBIZ report that age verification is already breeding a new black market in personal data. Software like AgeGo is peddled as “anonymous,” but exposes fans’ sensitive info to hacks and leaks—while making it near-impossible for indie websites to comply or afford the tech. Who’s left standing? Mega-corporations with deep pockets and zero interest in diverse, authentic, or queer porn.
Real Creators, Real Losses
Remember that amazing nonbinary cam artist or that raucous trans collective you followed on Twitter? Many indie creators are either geo-blocking entire states or shutting down. Fans are scared off by privacy risks. Payment processors are getting stricter. According to recent XBIZ and AVN coverage, some creators have lost 40-75% of their revenue overnight.
“Let’s be blunt: If your business model relies on diversity, kink, or LGBTQ+ perspectives, you’re being squeezed out—not by the market, but by lawmakers who know exactly what they’re doing.”
The Real Agenda: Censorship by Design
Don’t buy the “won’t somebody think of the children?” spin. These laws:
- Make it nearly impossible for small queer, trans, and BIPOC creators to get paid
- Push fans toward mainstream, sanitized, and straight porn
- Increase privacy risks for adult fans and creators alike
- Silence authentic voices in sex work and sexual expression
Fact: The internet made it possible for queer porn, indie porn, and sex workers to directly reach their fans for the first time in history. Age verification is rolling that back—while pretending it’s all about safety.
Your Turn: Is This Safety or Selective Censorship?
Are you a creator who’s had to shut down access or lost income? A fan who won’t upload your ID for privacy reasons? Tell us your story. Let’s blow up the myth that these laws are about protecting anyone except the people already in power.
Reply or share this article. Let’s make noise before indie sex creators—and our right to vibrant, diverse, queer porn—vanish for good.
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By: Jill Hills