You’ve probably heard at this point about the wave of online censorship as payment processors pressure platforms. I’m here to mostly spread around a site that explains the situation and what you can do about it way better than I ever could.
I’ve tried rewriting this post about a dozen times. I’ve tried writing it as a dire call to action. Which it is, the freedom of the internet, queer communities, and the livelihoods of sex workers around the world are under direct threat. I’ve tried writing it with the fervour of. “Yes, this is finally a thing to do about it!”
The truth is I’m worn down. And I’m not sure how effective any of it will be. But, other people are really trying to do something about it. And if nothing else, that means I should at least try.
I know most people reading this aren’t going to call Visa. And it sucks that (as mentioned in the website) the people who are most affected by this, the sex workers who are having their livelihood taken away. Can’t even contact without being attacked directly.
At the very least you can sign the petition, it only takes a minute or so.
This is a pretty good one, I've seen a few passing around and I wanna say this site has the best general information about the current problem.
I have scattered notes fucking everywhere, but for the people in the back who are struggling: 1. Global electronic payment infrastructure depends on three main systems: Visa, MasterCard, and SWIFT. 2. Visa and MasterCard basically own part or all of some part of the pipeline for almost all other fiscal transactions online. 3. If you are free of Visa and MasterCard's grip, you are likely within SWIFT which is the global fiscal network for the Global West (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan; as easy examples of what this means) 4. Electronic Payments depend on real hardware, massive undersea telecommunication cables, satellites, etc; all of those have legal owners, and anti-laundering law has further centralized it for US/EU folks especially. If you don't know, US Companies have a notorious tendency to own shit and make it everyone's problem. 5. In the US, try to get a pay card you can reload that is accepted everywhere like Debit. That basically HAS to be a pre-loaded VISA card, and this is the impact of that infrastructure centralization. 6. So when US Legal Standards change, or US Companies change policy, it ripples internationally and impacts the entire world. This is in the background of existing crises like how many countries criminally prosecute people for possessing, distributing, or accessing fictional, illustrated pornography that you can see on this website.
Today's Payment Processor attack on porn games is just one of several layers of political and industry attacks on your free expression, your passtimes, your communities, and your private and non-criminal, harmless behavior. Fighting back here is just the beginning, and every bit of support and action we can motivate will count.
This is a pretty good one, I've seen a few passing around and I wanna say this site has the best gen
- The fox agrees with this and will share a little bit of vague information that will generally be useful, and will slightly predict the course of events. In first These are really political games, they earn either popularity or money and it is no secret that in some states there is a fight over sexual content. In the case of this post, Fox hopes that the regulation of content will not lead to fraud or Deepfakes. Secondly, although the petition itself is useful, it is not aimed at the right people, and you have the right to fight for sexual content? Or for lifting the ban. Despite the clear wording, you may not get exactly what you want, but maybe Fox is wrong about this. If wrong sorry. Most likely the petition will pass and this will coincide with the end of political games, and then it seems that victory can turn into defeat - 20%. There is a second scenario that will most likely come true 80% of the petition will lead to nothing, due to the addressee's mistake. The fox will be happy to follow the events, hoping that everything will work out for you. - With respect Feral fox.
- The fox agrees with this and will share a little bit of vague information that will generally be u
it does affect everyone, not just those groups listed above, so everyone needs to care, even if you think your not in any of the groups above. any website, from twitter, to discord, to video games, to youtube, to even wikipedia... its not a "keep kids from nsfw" like these companies claim. its a push to monitor everything you do online
games that arent nsfw are being hit as well
horror games, games that so much have a "kid in danger" are threatened (and for pokemon fans....this does include legends arceus cause "your a kid and kid gets attacked by pokemon)
reason itch.io lost so many games that werent nsfw, is due to this.
if you look at the list of stuff visa is including in the list of things they can ban payment for, it includes firearms in the "sexual content" category.....so any game with a gun...cod? halo?
they wont enforce it right away, but they trying to give themselves power to ban anything at will they disagree with. not just if it violates a law or something.
and speaking of law....watch your government laws...
do you feel comfortable scanning your face for an ID match to get on a random website? uploading your personal ID to view a random website or video. do you like the government seeing what search terms you type on a porn website? if not, you need to speak up against this.
australia, EU, UK, US. all got laws in the works that will hurt us if they pass.
we've seen a preview of it with the recent Visa and Mastercard crap(and paypal). but that was a small test....
in america, its called the "kids online saftey act" except it targets everyone. in the UK, its the Online Saftey Act in the EU, its the Digital Protection Act
idk what it is in australia.
in short..buckle up, sign petitions, call your politician, or join people in spamming Visa's phone line to tell them this is screwed up and being abused
some more context for people new to it it does affect everyone, not just those groups listed above,
Let me get this straight...diapers are on their list but not as a sexual fetish thing but just in general...? Are they taking offense at every movie that has toddlers in it?
Let me get this straight...diapers are on their list but not as a sexual fetish thing but just in ge
