Preserving Sexual Freedom During Lockdown

COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines have disrupted human interaction and sexual expression. We’ve been forced to adopt new ways of interacting in all facets of life, including sex. While technology has allowed us to keep in touch, sexual freedom rights have suffered. Community guidelines and content moderation policies imposed by online platforms interfere with our ability to truly express our human sexuality. Laws such as FOSTA/SESTA encourage censorship of erotic expression on now-essential online communication tools. Congress is considering even more draconian restrictions on Internet communications. This panel presentation explored the legal and practical challenges facing sexual freedom during the current lockdown and highlighted some ways that platforms (like #open) are meeting those challenges in positive ways.