Brickbats

Porn in the USA

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A provision inserted into the Children's Safety Act of 2005 would define many mainstream Hollywood films as "pornographic." Currently, any film that has explicit sex must maintain records of the real names and ages of performers in those films. But a clause inserted into the House of Representatives version of the Children's Safety Act by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) expands that requirement to any film or TV show with simulated sex or "lascivious exhibition" of genitals. The requirement is retroactive to 1995. The bill also denies tax breaks designed to stop "runaway" film production to films that must meet the record-keeping requirement. The record-keeping requirement isn't in the Senate version of the bill, and the two must be reconciled.