Sex worker advocates in France have successfully pushed back against a controversial piece of legislation that threatened to criminalise online adult content platforms like OnlyFans and MYM, reports European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance. After targeted protests and strategic lobbying, members of the French National Assembly voted on October 7th to completely rewrite the problematic section of a proposed bill on sexual and gender-based violence.
The original proposal, specifically Article 25 of the “loi intégrale” (comprehensive law), sought to expand France’s broad definition of “pimping” – or proxénétisme – to include digital platforms. This would have effectively made sites that host adult content legally liable for facilitating prostitution. Furthermore, the article aimed to criminalise the purchasing of online adult content, mirroring the country's existing laws against buying in-person sexual services.
This move prompted a swift response from sex worker rights organisations, including STRASS, ACCEPTESS-T, and a newly formed collective for online workers called CATTS (Collectif D’Action Des Télétravailleur.ses Du Sexe).
A Coordinated Defence
On October 1st, advocates gathered in front of the National Assembly to protest the bill. Online, CATTS mounted a compelling case against the proposed law. They argued that it ignored legal precedent, citing a 2022 French court ruling which determined that online sex work does not constitute prostitution due to the lack of physical contact.
The collective also highlighted the potential negative consequences, pointing to a similar law passed in Sweden that reportedly pushed online creators into riskier, in-person work after their digital income streams were cut off. The groups raised additional concerns about the implications for online privacy, surveillance, and banking secrecy for all users, not just creators.
A New Focus on Coercion, Not Content
The advocacy was effective. The amended version of Article 25, which was approved by the Assembly, now bears a strong resemblance to a counter-proposal drafted by CATTS. Instead of a blanket criminalisation of platforms, the new text specifically targets the creation and distribution of sexual content made under duress or involving minors, as well as those who knowingly view such material.
This shifts the law’s focus from criminalising consensual adult work to punishing exploitation and non-consensual activity.
In another related development, other provisions in the bill that sought to frame all sex work as a form of gender-based violence were also voted down. Had these passed, they could have compelled medical professionals to report patients they identified as sex workers to the police. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans and gender-diverse individuals who are disproportionately represented in sex work, such a measure raised serious fears of police violence and non-consensual outing.
While the “loi intégrale” package must still be debated by the French Senate, the successful rewrite of Article 25 marks a crucial victory for sex workers who organised to protect their livelihoods and digital autonomy.
