What is the position of the site owner if…

[MaeBe]

Trans topics and sharing of information is labeled pornographic and banned? Does the owner have plans? What about the data? If we become targets, there are IPs and other data that could be legally demanded of the owner. Never mind the site owner being a target themselves as a pornographer.

[Ivy]

Good question.

 

There's enough info out there in other places to convict me of being trans anyway.   But I'd hate to lose the site.

[KathyLauren]

[Speaking just as an ordinary member, not as a staff member or on behalf of the owner.]

 

If necessary, the site could be hosted in another country, in which US federal law had no jurisdiction.  The government could still restrict access by US citizens, but that would be pretty draconian even by the standards of authoritarian countries.  If they did that, there are technical ways around it, like using VPNs.

[Ivy]

It's really something that we have to think about these things now.

If I said I wasn't depressed I'd be lying.

[MaeBe]

1 hour ago, KathyLauren said:

[Speaking just as an ordinary member, not as a staff member or on behalf of the owner.]

 

If necessary, the site could be hosted in another country, in which US federal law had no jurisdiction.  The government could still restrict access by US citizens, but that would be pretty draconian even by the standards of authoritarian countries.  If they did that, there are technical ways around it, like using VPNs.

There are definitely things that could be done to make the site persist, but what if the data that exists? What of the site that could bring its owner up against the law? We all share in responsibility for the content posted, but are there plans?

[VickySGV]

@MaeBe  The potential for that to happen is virtually nil and if it is going to happen we will have plenty of time to formalize actions. .  Our site owner who is easy enough to identify here is a foreign national who also has to be cognizant of the rules of many other jurisdictions throughout the world, some of whom are an even bigger threat on the child morality thing.  In plain words many plans are on the table since the Admin Staff is made fully aware of what is pending  PLANS ARE THERE, but this is a public forum where stating what they are is not the way to go.  I spent the afternoon in a Transgender Center and the assessment we have had is that many things can be tried and can be shouted about but to put them in action will place those who wish to in an even worse situation.  Considering that sites exist that sell material about exploited minors that are never or rarely touched and the First Amendment Rights issues that cut deeply both ways. 

[Carolyn Marie]

@MaeBe, going back in U.S. history a ways, the SCOTUS set the standard for what constitutes pornography.  I assure you that nothing on this site qualifies under that standard.  So the U.S. government is not going to be taking any actions against it.  What certain governors or state legislators think is pornographic is not relevant here.  We do have 1st Amendment protection, as well.  There is no reason for any government official to look into IP addresses or other data, and would have to submit a search warrant if they wanted any such thing.  As @VickySGVnoted, the site owner is not a U.S. citizen and lives overseas. 

 

Anything is possible, but that doesn't mean it's likely.  Rest assured that we have the backs of every member of Transgender Pulse.  And me and Vicky know some damned good attorneys. 

 

Carolyn Marie

[awkward-yet-sweet]

ThePirateBay is still up and running, after countless attempts to shut it down.  There's always an option for keeping things up.  And as for the users...a good quality VPN can bypass a lot of the government's tracking ability. 

 

Ultrasurf is a free VPN used by folks in repressive areas like China to access the web without interference.  You can also use a paid VPN like SurfShark, which actually lets you select which country you want to "be in" for internet purposes. 

 

[tracy_j]

I think that the original question has been well answered now  and folk should be reassured so there is little reason for further input here and searching for extreme methods of access.

 

Tracy