Last week both Tumblr and Facebook announced changes to their terms of service, severely limiting sexual expression. Tumblr opted to remove adult content, while Facebook amended their policy on sexual solicitation to effectively ban talking about sex at all on their platform. As a queer person and a porn producer/performer, it has been a scary week.

But what’s behind it? Is it Apple’s removal of the Tumblr app from their store, is it payment processors again? Yes, in part, but this isn’t the whole picture.

I’ve been in this line of work three years and have seen platforms cave into demands to remove sexual content from payment processors, but this feels different to me. Facebook already didn’t allow sex workers on its platform, and I don’t believe Tumblr is beholden to PP’s the same way sites like Patreon are, because they aren’t charging their user base the same way.

So why clamp down now, and why did the announcements come so close together? To my eyes the answer lies in the twin-headed anti-sex demon that is SESTA/FOSTA.

These recently passed laws effectively poke holes in section 230, a 1996 addition to the Communications Decency Act, which states:

“No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”

For example, if someone decides to tweet a libelous rant about me, I can’t sue Twitter for allowing it on their platform. But under SESTA/FOSTA, sites are responsible for any sex work advertisements hosted on their sites servers, whether they know the content is there or not. To be clear, states can now sue tech companies who have content related to sex work on their websites.

Tumblr opted to tackle the problem of possible sex work advertisements by using an algorithm to flag any adult content. The problem is their algorithm is about as ineffective at spotting porn as my dear old Nan, who still thinks I work in photography, despite me telling her several times what I do for a living.

I’ve seen examples of it flagging anything vaguely human shaped, as well as various examples of people tinkering with images to prevent the algorithm from spotting the lewd nature of them. Here’s an example of it being defeated by an owl wearing a hat. They claim the algorithm will improve with time, but I can’t see it ever being good at its job.

This law was sold as a way to combat trafficking — which absolutely needs to happen — but lawmakers willingly ignored concerns from sex workers. Because those involved don’t believe consensual sex work exists, they opted to class any form of full service sex work as sex trafficking.

To the people behind this bill, the friends of mine who had other job prospects but went into sex work to better control their hours and make more money doing something they love, are no different than someone who has been trafficked into slavery. These same friends of mine are now all at risk because of this law because they can no longer use these sites to screen potential clients and keep themselves safe.

This law was sold as a way to combat trafficking, which absolutely does need to happen, but lawmakers willingly ignored concerns from sex workers.
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These laws aren’t even effective at keeping trafficking from happening. Freedom Network USA, an anti-trafficking organization expressed these concerns at the time the bills were being proposed:

Responsible website administrators can, and do, provide important data and information to support criminal investigations. Reforming [Section 230] to include the threat of civil litigation could deter responsible website administrators from trying to identify and report trafficking. It is important to note that responsible website administration can make trafficking more visible—which can lead to increased identification. There are many cases of victims being identified online—and little doubt that without this platform, they would have not been identified. Internet sites provide a digital footprint that law enforcement can use to investigate trafficking into the sex trade, and to locate trafficking victims. When websites are shut down, the sex trade is pushed underground and sex trafficking victims are forced into even more dangerous circumstances.

Evidence from the months since SESTA/FOSTA passed back this up. Law enforcement are struggling to find victims of trafficking online since Backpage shut down. If they can’t see the victims, they can’t find them. I really cannot begin to describe how monumentally ineffective at helping trafficking victims, and absurdly dangerous to consensual sex workers this law is.

SESTA/FOSTA was signed into law in April, and though it was reported that it would begin being enforced in January 2019, it looks like that’s already gotten underway. On October the 1st a lawsuit was filed against Facebook by a Jane Doe in Texas. It states that back in 2012, when she was 15, a Facebook friend messaged her with a way to make money as a model.

When she met with him he abused and trafficked her. It should go without saying that what happened to this person is awful, and she absolutely deserves justice against her abuser. Under SESTA/FOSTA however, Facebook may be charged with Negligence, Gross Negligence, and breaking Texas laws related to benefitting from trafficking.

So it makes sense that getting slapped with this lawsuit would make Facebook sit up and take notice. They know how terrible algorithms are at picking up sexual content, so they updated their sexual solicitation policy to effectively ban talking about kinks, fetishes, boobs, butts, anything that might get you laid from using their platform. How this will affect their new dating site venture I have no idea.

The Tumblr side of things is a bit murkier, but it’s hard for me to imagine Verizon wanting to risk similar lawsuits given that they’ve had a lot of troubles with administrating Tumblr. So it’s just a lot cleaner and easier for them to remove adult content to make sure they get rid of any sex work related advertising, and hope Tumblr recovers from the mass exodus that is sure to occur.

So how does this affect you, the presumably non sex worker? The Tumblr and Facebook bans are just the start. As SESTA/FOSTA becomes more entrenched and more tech companies fall in line, I predict we will see other platforms begin to clamp down on any content related to sex for fear of being sued. It’s easier for them to ban all sex-related content than to try to screen for trafficking accurately.

Do you watch porn? Do you like to discuss sex on the internet? Do you use the internet to get laid? Those days are short-lived unless we fight to repeal this. And because most companies have operations in the USA, this will affect people all over the world. I live in the UK and this has already affected me, and this is without the version of the bill that the UK government wants to pass.

As SESTA/FOSTA becomes more entrenched and more tech companies fall in line, I predict we will see other platforms begin to clamp down on any content related to sex for fear of being sued.
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A lot of queer communities connect online, and because our existence is seen, to some, as inherently sexual, we can expect policies that limit sexual expression to hit queer people much harder. It’s difficult to realize certain things about yourself as a queer person without the internet, and sex education for gay, lesbian, and trans people is severely lacking without the internet. I really fear for the younger generations of queer people growing up in a world where talking about sex online gets you banned.

Are tubesites like Pornhub the answer? I can tell you as a creator that their platform is extremely bad. Any porn you watch on there without a verified tick is very likely stolen from creators such as myself and reuploaded (please stop using Tubesites). Also there’s no guarantee they won’t be affected by SESTA/FOSTA too, given that they make money off these videos, and they can’t prove people in them aren’t being trafficked, because they don’t verify many of their uploaders.

We need people to see this bill for what it is, a U.S. government-sponsored censorship law with far-reaching effects on the entire internet. It passed with bipartisan support; damn near every representative and senator voted positively on it.

We need to let them know loudly that this law is not only unfit for purpose, it’s incredibly dangerous. Stand up for sexual expression online, because if you don’t you might soon lose it for good. 

Connectedness leaves us feeling exhausted and, for activists, can lead to quicker burnout.

By Alaina Leary

Originally published on Everyday Feminism.

A s activists, we often feel like we need to be “on” at all times.

We have to be informed about any injustice that’s going on so we can help fight it. We need to be a part of the action. We feel called to be doing something that will have positive effects.

Because we live in an Internet age, that can come with a feeling of responsibility: that we should never back away from social media. That we need to always be online. FOMO — or “fear of missing out” — is ever-present.

But research suggests that, as humans, we aren’t prepared for what often amounts to an onslaught of 24/7 global news aided by the Internet age. This connectedness leaves us feeling exhausted and, for activists, can lead to quicker burnout.

When I first heard the news about Kevin Spacey coming out after being accused of sexual violence last week as I was doing my daily email and social media check for work, I panicked.

On Spacey, Weinstein, Milo, And The Weaponization Of Identity

A lot of my activism is centered on LGBTQIA+ rights and rape culture, and this conversation is right at the intersection of the two. There was plenty of activism work I could do, but I also knew that I had a lot of work to do because it’s Monday and I’ve got several ongoing projects at hand.

There’s already plenty on my plate, and I really only had time to read about the situation and amplify a few voices online.

We need to remember that we’re absolutely allowed to unplug from the Internet and take a step (or five) back from social media — and not just during times when we’re already feeling fatigue and burnout creep in, but on a regular basis to maintain our mental and physical health.

Getting away from social media is actually an important and necessary part of self-care. Here are some reasons why, as activists, we do need to unplug from the Internet and tips on how we can (realistically) do that:

1. We can’t do the work if we’re exhausted or overwhelmed

Between Facebook’s push for users to get more of their news on the platform and people’s tendency to share things that make them outraged, consuming the news is a big part of the online experience in today’s society.

Many people I’m connected with on social media are also invested in similar causes — disability rights, anti-racism, universal health care, environmental protection.

It’s fairly common for me to be using social media as a leisure tool and come across upsetting news, petitions, protests, and long articles or videos on important topics like sub-minimum wages for disabled workers or the effects of climate change on the bee population.

It’s easy to feel burnt out after just a few minutes online. So much on social media has a call-to-action attached, and it’s not possible for us to do anything effectively if we’re putting too much pressure on ourselves to do everything.

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To avoid this, we need to prioritize self-care. It’s easy to feel guilty for spending even an hour — never mind an entire weekend, week, or longer — away from social media and from activism work, because there will always be more we can do.

But we need to remember that taking time to recharge regularly helps us come back to activism with fresh enthusiasm, ideas, and the mental capacity to handle challenges.

I try to take social media breaks for several hours daily, although I do usually check in at least once a day on the current news cycle to keep informed.

There are times I dedicate to self-care and recharging, often an entire weekend or longer, where I commit to not checking social media or reading the news (or my email!).

I usually find that I come back to the cause feeling even more ready to do the work that needs to be done, whether it’s organizing, educating, or attending an in-person protest or rally.

2. We can’t fight every single battle all the time

My family and friend circles are full of activists who tackle a variety of issues, from local politics and environmental activism to anti-racism and domestic violence. Because I’m so involved in the activist community, I know people who are involved in what seems like almost every issue.

I’m often surrounded by other activists and reading about what they’re working on, and I think about the things I’ll never have time to be a part of. I often find myself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of what I can’t accomplish as a single individual.

We need to remember to be realistic in what we can accomplish, and this is a huge part of learning to unplug.

I often find myself overwhelmed by the sheer amount of what I can’t accomplish.

I’m not advocating for being completely naïve and uninterested in causes that don’t personally affect us. What I am suggesting is that we try to stick to a few different niches and remember that there are folks doing the work that we can’t.

They may even be better prepared through lived experience and education than we are. Instead of feeling fatigued that we aren’t able to fight for every cause we believe in, we can amplify the work that people are doing and focus on our own strengths.

Most of my activism work revolves around disability and LGBTQIA+ rights, which are both communities that I’m a part of. I also do a lot of work on diversity in publishing and media, so I’m constantly paying attention to conversations about the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the fight to diversify publishing staff.

How To Help The Cause When You Need Help Yourself

There are, however, many causes that I believe in but know I don’t have the time, energy, or resources to fight for, so I spend my time amplifying people and organizations that are leading the way.

In my day job as a writer, editor, and social media manager, I am often in a position to shed light on issues and potential solutions, distributing information about activist causes to key influencers who I know will help get the word out.

Even if you don’t have access to these outlets, you can amplify other activists and causes on your own social media channels and by word-of-mouth locally.

3. Activists are frequent targets for online harassment

Particularly if you are marginalized or multiply marginalized and in any type of visible position, being an activist also comes with targeting online. If you’re speaking up for a cause, chances are high that there will be trolls and other folks online who disagree.

“Disagreement” may mean a comment here or there, but it can also escalate into things like being harassed, doxxed, and threatened.

If this happens, make sure to practice immediate self-care in the moment, but also use it as a reason to regularly recharge and step back from the Internet and social media. Build these breaks into your routine.

Depending on how often you engage online, you might take a 15-minute break for every hour spent online or take 2 full days per week to go off the grid. Check in with your own mental and physical health, and your energy levels, to see if these breaks are working for you.

Being an activist also comes with targeting online.

I started taking planned social media breaks about two years ago. I was already working at least part-time in a social media capacity for organizations, as well as using the web as a resource for my freelance and volunteer work, which is frequently activism-based.

At the time, I was exhausted and had no idea how to navigate this. After my “official” work hours ended, was I expected to be online at all times in case I came across a political story I could pitch it to an editor?

Should I be there retweeting hashtags as soon as they started, before they were even viral? If I didn’t know about the latest news in disability rights and health care, how could I put together an action plan?

Planning daily and weekly breaks into my work week became absolutely critical to remaining healthy and engaged.

You might also want to consider checking in with your community to see if there’s a way other people can support you so that you’re able to take breaks when you need to.

If you’re managing social media for a nonprofit or organization — or as a public figure yourself — you might see if there are other moderators who can step in at least a few times a week so you’re not the only one doing the work.

A Brief History Of Behind-The-Scenes Activism With A Big Impact

Asking for help can be difficult, but support from your community can be really beneficial when you’re trying to recharge, particularly if you’ve been subject to harassment.

When activism is a big part of your work (and possibly even your identity), it can be hard to separate yourself. You might feel like you need to be engaged at all times.

For example, I often feel the pressure if I see a call for pitches from an online magazine looking to publish a themed issue on consent and I don’t send in options related to the causes I care about, such as campus sexual violence, inclusive sex and consent education, or rape culture.

I need to remember that I won’t do effective, good work if I’m constantly exhausted because I’m pushing myself to be involved 24/7 in so many things. Like anyone else, I need time off and breaks from the constant flow of work, whether it’s paid or volunteer.

When activism is a big part of your work (and possibly even your identity), it can be hard to separate yourself.

I need to prioritize self-care. I need to know when to step back (which can be tough, especially if you are being harassed or threatened) and when to ask for help.

I recommend resources like The Self Care Project, Rest for Resistance, Everyday Feminism, Wear Your Voice Magazine, The Establishment, and these self-care options for days when the world feels terrible.

These are lessons we all need to take seriously, especially as the Internet and social media become more advanced.

We may have constant access to a vast amount of information, but we can’t do anything about it if we aren’t strategic — especially in how we build self-care into our priority lists for daily life.

Alaina Leary is an Everyday Feminism Reporting Fellow. She is a Bostonian currently studying for her MA in publishing at Emerson College. She’s a disabled, queer activist and is on the social media team at We Need Diverse Books. She can often be found re-reading her favorite books and covering everything in glitter. You can find her at her website or on Instagram and Twitter @alainaskeys. Read her articles here.

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