The Adult Webmaster

Misleading URL’s, Words & Images

You better be careful while constructing those links in the future. The US Government recently authorized a law (§ 2252C) making it a federal offense if you author a misleading link. Basically if you dump a visitor onto an “obscene” page, without clearly indicating the content they are about to see is “sex/porn” related, then you are breaking the law.

What is obscene you ask? Well who really fucking knows… the one thing we do know, is the law reads as such:

§ 2252C. Misleading words or digital images on the Internet

(a) IN GENERAL.—Whoever knowingly embeds words or digital images into the source code of a website with the intent to deceive a person into viewing material constituting obscenity shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 10 years.
(b) MINORS.—Whoever knowingly embeds words or digital images into the source code of a website with the intent to deceive a minor into viewing material harmful to minors on the Internet shall be fined under this title and imprisoned for not more than 20 years.
(c) CONSTRUCTION.—For the purposes of this section, a word or digital image that clearly indicates the sexual content of the site, such as ‘sex’ or ‘porn’, is not misleading.
(d) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section—HR 4472 EAS

1. the terms ‘material that is harmful to minors’ and ‘sex’ have the meaning given such terms in section 2252B; and
2. the term ‘source code’ means the combination of text and other characters comprising the content, both viewable and nonviewable, of a web page, including any website publishing language, programming language, protocol or functional content, as well as any successor languages or protocols.’’

The law is in theory, designed to help protect children online.
I can’t imagine there are too many people targeting children to obscene material in their online adult marketing. There is really no benefit in bringing underage viewers to adult websites. Primarily because they don’t have credit cards and can’t spend any money (freeloaders). But for those few people intentionally targeting children, they need to be stopped.. so 2252c, article B is great.

I am all for protecting children, but unfortunately I forsee this law overstepping it’s bounds. Instead it may be used to censor unjustly.

Article A. (In General), is extremely “general” in that it is so wide for interpretation that this could violate the law and be a 10 year offense: Raven goes out for the army. Is it obscene? Depends on who you ask. Does it mislead the person clicking the link? Depends on who you ask. The thought-police are on patrol.

What to do? Make sure you vote for representatives who don’t have their heads up their asses and don’t promote any pornstars named Barbie.

Related Links: Goatse now illegal | 2257 What does it mean for SE | 2252c Example

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