Canaries in the Coal Mine: Sex Workers are Fighting Censorship

We’re collaborating with our friends at New Moon Network for a compelling roundtable discussion about the critical intersection of sex work and censorship. We will examine how sex workers are often the “canaries in the coal mine” when it comes to free expression restrictions, facing disproportionate targeting and censorship before other groups. Our discussion will delve into the tangible, often devastating impacts of content moderation policies and laws like FOSTA-SESTA on sex workers’ livelihoods, safety, and ability to organize. Our panelists are participants in the Spokes Hub Program, a free online academy aimed at supporting people with lived experience in the sex trade in developing their voice and authority as advocates. They will share firsthand accounts of platform removals, shadowbanning, and loss of vital online resources. The conversation highlights how censorship of sex work-related content reverberates beyond the industry, setting dangerous precedents for free expression. This timely and crucial dialogue sheds light on an underexplored facet of censorship with far-reaching implications for all.