Donald Trump has already banned prostitution websites in the US. Trump signed the FOSTA/SESTA bill in April, which exists to help law enforcement agencies to move against sex traffickers. Critics say that the people it hits hardest are consensual sex workers, who had their adverts taken down from sites like Craigslist. In the UK, the Erotic Review has already blocked users who appeared to be visiting its website from the US. Essentially, SESTA makes it easier for plaintiffs and state attorney generals to sue websites that ‘knowingly assist, facilitate, or support sex trafficking’. FOSTA widens the scope to include websites related to sex work, therefore making no clear, legal definition between sex trafficking and consensual sex work. Internet companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter have previously taken the stance that any content has been provided by users, and while they monitor it, they are not responsible. SESTA/FOSTA will now hold them accountable, not only for future posts, but will also prosecute for posts made before the bill came into power. SESTA/FOSTA will see a widespread censoring of the internet that has already led to websites being taken down, and a ban on all talk of ‘sex work’ on many platforms.
Labour MP Sarah Champion’s well-meaning but misguided attempt to protect victims of sexual exploitation by suggesting that we could follow Trump’s method and madness by banning all websites where sex workers advertise.
This week’s Commons debate about the banning of prostitution websites inspired a demonstration outside the Palace of Westminster, in favour of internet businesses such as Vivastreet and Adultwork. Many of those gathered in support of such sites were women, women who want respect, dignity and safety for those among us who have chosen to be sex workers. Women who believe that the right to buy an advert on a popular website, advertising your sexual services, should not be denied. The campaigning groups who organised the demonstration, the Sex Worker Advocacy and Resistance Movement (Swarm), the English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP).
Hopefully there are enough MPs who have the "individual rights of others" as a very important goal, to have freedom to conduct themselves as they wish.
Hard to believe TRUMP has such high moral standards on the subject
