Campaign Promotes Political Message by Highlighting GOP's Intention to Outlaw Adult Content
Campaign Promotes Political Message by Highlighting GOP's Intention to Outlaw Adult Content
Erotica has become an unexpected battleground in this presidential election, with Republicans advocating for its ban. Generally speaking, Republicans are pushing for a prohibition, while Democrats oppose such measures and are promoting their stance through targeted advertisements in crucial states, focusing on young male voters.
Banning erotic content isn't merely a hypothetical concept. It's presently being implemented. As of November 1, Oklahomans are unable to access Pornhub, a prominent and widely used erotic content platform. Oklahoma didn't institute an outright ban; instead, they made it challenging for the platform's parent company to conduct business within the state.
The Oklahoma Senate Bill 1959 went into effect within the state on Friday. This bill requires any adult content website operating in the state to verify the age of its users through a third-party platform. However, users must provide a valid driver's license or another form of identification before logging in.
Instead of complying with the new regulations, the parent company of Pornhub, Aylo, has opted to geoblock the site in Oklahoma and a few other states. Consequently, users attempting to access the site from an Oklahoma IP address will be denied entry. Aylo has adopted the same tactics in Kentucky, Texas, Montana, North Carolina, Arkansas, Utah, Mississippi, Virginia, and Louisiana.
Aylo has remained consistent in its messaging about this matter, articulating concern for children's safety while asserting that the existing laws are a violation of privacy. In a statement to Spectrum 1 News after withdrawing from Kentucky, Aylo stated that its traffic in Louisiana dropped by approximately 80% after complying with the new law. Aylo further voiced concerns that regulations necessitating adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information could jeopardize user safety and potentially drive users to unregulated websites.
Two political action committees (PACs) have made erotic content an issue in this election cycle. Young men, who are the demographic most likely to utilize such platforms, have been breaking strongly for Trump.
The Progress Action Fund has launched an advertisement that features an older white man entering a young man's room while he's watching erotic content and confiscating his phone. The Republican congressman chastises the young man for his behavior, asserting that he will be banning such content following his victory in the election.
Additionally, the Progress Action Fund has reportedly invested $2.5 million in running the advertisement in front of swing state voters in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina. Joe Jacobson, the founder of the Progress Action Fund, stated that the GOP is led by "odd old men" who intend to "invade our bedrooms."
Another PAC, FTW PAC, is investing less capital but employing more visceral advertisements. FTW PAC asserts it has raised only $100,000 but can afford cheaply produced advertisements. The ad features Trump and his ally, J.D. Vance, with the text "Trump's Project 2025 will ban porn." The advertisement advises watchers to research "Trump porn ban" online.
The advertisements are currently being displayed before erotic videos in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, evading Pornhub's prohibition on political advertisements. FTW PAC co-founder Wally Nowinski stated that the ads have received approximately 5 million views during the last few weeks of October.
© FTW Pac
The advertisements are not airing on Pornhub, as Aylo forbids political advertising on its website.
Project 2025, which Trump has endeavored to disassociate himself from, is unequivocal on the issue. As written in the introduction, "Pornography should be outlawed." The president of the Heritage Foundation, Kevin D. Roberts, supports imprisionment for individuals involved in its production and distribution.
Whether Project 2025 will be fully implemented in a Trump administration remains uncertain. However, we need not speculate on an uncertain future to grasp how the GOP's long-standing battle against erotic content could unfold. Simply consider the actions taken by Republican-led legislatures in Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to restrict individuals' right to access such content.
Technology and the future of erotic content are topics of concern in the tech industry. With the ongoing debates about banning erotic content, tech companies like Aylo are navigating new regulations to maintain user privacy and safety.
As the election approaches, political action committees (PACs) like FTW PAC are using tech-savvy advertisements to raise awareness about potential future restrictions on erotic content, leveraging the reach of platforms like Pornhub to reach their targeted demographic.