Congratulations. We are glad you’ve come this far. If you’re reading this second lesson in our Legal Primer Class then give yourself a cheer. You’ve taken a wise path.
Up until now the Internet has flourished and grown with very little governmental regulation. Let’s not be inaccurate. The Internet has always been regulated. It’s structure was created when Army know-how meant something and the web is still overseen and standardized by the very academicians who coded it.
Many adult webmasters have gotten way with stuff that is definitely illegal in the brick-and-mortar world. Scratch an old porn webmaster and you just might find a person that scanned all his content from Penthouse for his first site. Scratch him again and he might reveal that he stole images off Usenet for his second. Lock a bunch of porn webmeisters in a room. Refuse to free them or feed them and eventually three or four will confess to defrauding surfers with auto-downloading dialers that called up modems in Africa.
We’re no different from any other people out to make money. Some of us will break the rules until we are caught. It’s been pretty easy so far because there weren’t many rules.
What you may soon forget is that very few people foresaw the web as it is today.
The Internet is a public realm. It is now a part of the public trust. Like any highway or public facility, the net will be regulated. It is difficult because the Internet is worldwide. How can they apply one rule to a medium that expanses all cultures and all states? Where do we start to regulate? What is the most offensive? What on the web is the most in need of the rule of law?
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Don’t be naïve. You know it’s porn.
With that said, let’s continue because we’re going to assume that you get it. No more silliness. We all have a pretty good idea of what is and isn’t legal. What we don’t know we go find out. That’s where things get sticky for the new adult webmaster. We’re all on a budget. Lawyers are easy to find but lawyers that specialize in Internet porn law, not so easy. The laws covering our business are in eternal flux.
What’s legal today might be a crime tomorrow. Most of us wouldn’t have a clue as to where to begin.
Cozy Academy is there for you. Before you spend any money, make any calls, sign any contracts or put one picture on the web, check this list first:
What the hell are you doing?
Do you have a business plan? Are you just going to throw money and time at the monitor and hope for the best? What’s your formula? It’s got to be more than "Sell smut. Make millions". How much are you willing to invest? How much time? Are you going to set up a corporation? Will you file your taxes as self-employed? What if you make money? What if you lose money?
Where do you live? What are the laws concerning adult-oriented businesses in your town, state our country? You might not be worried about international law but you’d be foolish to ignore people in your town that have the power to knock on your door and arrest you. Go to your local library and read up on city, state and country codes that cover public decency and sexually oriented commerce.
Where the hell is your lawyer?
If you live outside of a major city, good luck with finding a lawyer willing and able to counsel you properly on the matter of adult Internet law. Naturally, be prepared to pay. Better yet, look to Cozy for links to actual lawyers that specialize in online porn.
Who the hell do we think we are?
We’re average people just like you. The difference is that veteran adult webmasters have experience in dealing with the legal issues of our industry. We don’t tell you that you need a Warning page or that you must comply with 2257 law because we like to hear our own voices. We tell you these things because we’ve already paid the lawyers. We show you the resources and sites because we’re trying to help.
There’s no college classes for this stuff. We are your college.