Tech
Age-verification is hurting sex educators and sex workers, studies suggest
Experts have warned about how age verification laws will impact people's work and bank accounts — and now preliminary research suggests that they're right.
Age verification laws vary by state and country, but usually require submitting proof of age, be it a facial scan or uploading a government ID, to view potentially adult content. Since 2022, these laws have been enacted in different U.S. states. Other countries, such as the UK, have also instituted age verification via the Online Safety Act.
Sexual freedom nonprofit, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, found that around one in five sex educators (18 percent) say these laws have already impacted their work. For sex educators working in states with age verification mandates, one in three (33 percent) report this.
Approximately 60 respondents completed the survey last month, so this isn't a wide sample, but it hints at the trickle-down effects of age verification.
"Age-verification laws are already impacting sex education in the U.S.," says Woodhull president and CEO, Ricci Joy Levy, in a press release.
The majority of sex educators surveyed, 73 percent, are concerned that these laws will impact their work, while 76 percent fear they could be used to restrict access to sex education and related resources. As it is, only 37 percent of U.S. states require school sex education to be medically accurate, according to Boston University.
"Again and again, we were told this was only about keeping minors from accessing porn," Levy's statement continues. "Woodhull warned these vague and overly broad policies would also result in censorship of vital, non-explicit information about sex and gender, and the data bear this out. The current age-verification protocols are ripe for abuse, and educators are right to be scared."
Separate research from adult industry research firm SWR Data hints at a similar story when it comes to adult creators. Nearly half (45.2 percent) of the 500 surveyed last fall reported that their income from adult work decreased in the past year, with two-thirds (63 percent) saying it got harder to earn money in the past year as well.
There are several possible reasons for this trend, including overall socioeconomic uncertainty, but a staggering 98 percent of creators who reported lower income said they've experienced difficulties related to the "War on Porn."
The so-called War on Porn can refer to age verification as well as other attempts to remove adult content from the internet. Project 2025, the blueprint for President Trump's second term, calls for an outright ban on pornography and imprisoning its creators. In 2024, one of the co-writers of Project 2025, Russell Vought (now the director of the Office of Management and Budget), reportedly called age verification the "back door" to a porn ban.
The majority of surveyed adult creators who lost income also reported increased social media censorship and increased restrictions on what they can sell, and even fans are having trouble accessing their content.
The latter point — trouble with access — especially affected adult creators in U.S. and UK markets, according to SWR Data. They're also dealing with piracy, showing that viewers are finding ways to work around age verification.
Two separate studies last year suggested that age verification laws don't work to keep children off of porn sites. Reasons include VPN usage and going to non-compliant websites. But it appears that age-verification is working to hurt sex workers and sex educators.
Save $120: As of April 13, you can grab the Beelink SER5 MAX 7735HS mini PC with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for just $539, thanks to an on-page coupon at Amazon. Usually, this mini PC costs $659, so this deal saves you 18%.
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Despite its security flaws, OpenClaw's popularity as an open-source AI assistant has catapulted it to proper viral status (at least, within the AI community). While many users were running to pick up Mac Minis to run the assistant, the Apple computer isn't exactly at its cheapest right now.
Don't get us wrong — you can catch the Mac Mini on sale from time to time. But as of April 13, the $599 regular M4 version is unavailable at Amazon, and the more expensive M4 Pro model will run you $1,419.99 — not exactly the most cost effective solution.
Our advice? Check out other mini PCs on the market. At the time of writing, the Beelink SER5 MAX 7735HS mini PC with AMD Ryzen 7, 24GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is on sale for $539 with an on-page coupon, knocking $120 off its usual $659. Even when the M4 Mac mini is available, it can be harder to find it below $549, making this an especially competitive price for the Beelink PC.
Just a note: its important to be aware of the security risks that come with using this open source AI tool. And if you're already using OpenClaw, be sure to update to the latest version immediately.
SAVE 30%: As of April 13, you can get the DJI Mini 4K for $209, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 30% discount or $90 savings.
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My dad and my cousin are obsessed with drones, so I've spent enough time watching them fly to know two things: the really good ones are usually very expensive, and they're easy to crash if you don't know what you're doing (and sometimes, even if you do!).
If you've been wanting to get into the hobby without the steep learning curve (or the high price tag), this DJI model is a great place to start. Right now, the DJI Mini 4K is listed at $299, but if you clip the on-page coupon, it drops to $209.
Despite its tiny size, this drone has the practical features you need to get in the air quickly. It has a 4K Ultra HD camera paired with a 3-axis gimbal to keep your footage smooth and cinematic. Because it weighs under 249 grams, you don't have to worry about FAA registration or Remote ID for recreational use. It also has a maximum flight time of 31 minutes, Level 5 wind resistance (stable in winds up to 38kph), and a 10km video transmission range.
If you're worried about flying it into a tree or the ocean, it features one-tap takeoff and landing, stable hovering, and a GPS Return to Home (RTH) function, so you don't have to panic if you lose it. It even comes with intelligent QuickShots modes that automatically fly the drone in cinematic patterns to get you professional-looking shots with just a few taps (which could be good if you're a real estate agent or photographer!).
SAVE $404.03: The Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is on sale at Amazon for $394.97, down from the list price of $799. That's a 51% discount.
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Memorial Day weekend will be here in just over a month. After that, we'll officially be in summer camping season. If you've been hearing about portable power stations and how useful they can be at the campground but don't own one yet, consider this sale your sign.
As of April 13, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is on sale at Amazon for $394.97, marked down from the normal price of $799. That's a 51% discount that takes $404.03 off the price.
Packing in 1,024Wh, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is well worth bringing along on your next weekend away. It'll be able to recharge phones, laptops, drone batteries, camping lights, and keep the coffee pot running each morning.
Bluetti equipped this model with four standard AC ports, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports. Plus, it only weighs about 25 pounds so it'll be portable enough to carry around the campsite. It's also a relatively quiet model, operating at about 30 decibels, which will be nice if you're using it to power up a CPAP machine at night.
With 45 minutes of standard wall AC recharging, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 will go from 0 to 80% charge in about 45 minutes. A full charge should take around 70 minutes. You can also connect the Elite 100 V2 to up to 1,000W of solar power for recharging. With that input, expect to get a full recharge in about 70 minutes.
Before you head off on the next camping adventure, upgrade you setup with the Bluetti Elite 100 V2. It's down to an incredibly affordable price of under $395. That's nearly as good as it gets for a power station in the 1K Wh range.
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