Demand Congress Make the Internet Safe for Sex Workers

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Friend, The EARN IT Act is the latest Senate attempt to disguise violations of free speech and sex worker rights as necessary security measures. The EARN IT Act and the FOSTA-SESTA Act (EARN IT’s parent bill passed in 2018) purport to combat sex trafficking by forcing private internet service providers (ISPs) to surveil user posts and private messages, and de-platform users who engage in sexual solicitation. This bill further erodes privacy protections by encouraging broad de-encryption of online activities for government and ISP review. Sex trafficking is a horrifying reality that must be stopped, but these government “solutions” make the problem less visible, not less prevalent. Meanwhile, de-encryption compromises the privacy and security of all Internet users, and the broad targeting of explicit content drives sex workers off the online spaces they’ve built to conduct business far more safely. The SAFE SEX Workers Study Act, reintroduced today in Congress, is vital for platforming the sex workers who’ve been negatively affected by FOSTA-SESTA. Hopefully, based on the study’s findings, Congress will reverse FOSTA-SESTA, block EARN IT, craft legislation that protects online privacy and speech, and find community-based solutions to stop sex trafficking that do not scapegoat sex workers. Today, on International Sex Worker Rights Day, join our partners at Fight For The Future in demanding Congress pass the SAFE Sex Workers Study Act. For more information on the EARN IT Act and the fight for sex worker rights, watch the recording of our latest S.T.O.P. x RadTech panel here. In solidarity, Sarah Roth Advocacy & Communications Intern Share Tweet Forward Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.