FBI Begins 2257 Harassment Campaign

Chatsworth, CA--According to a report by Adult Video News, FBI agents visited the offices of Diabolic Video on Monday to check their compliance with the record keeping regulations of Title 18, U.S.C. 2257.

During the first 2257 inspection of an adult company in 11 years, five agents used their own equipment to copy Diabolic records and reportedly took half the day to complete the inspection.

"[One] agent said there are 10 companies on their list and we were the first," Diabolic owner Greg Allen told AVN.

Various sources have been speculating on the reasons for the surprise inspections. Rumors that the new performer "Seduction" began her adult career while she was under age may have prompted authorities to send a message of zero tolerance to adult filmakers.

Others suggest that the sweeps are a reaction to the Free Speech Coalition's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the recordkeeping regulations.

The Free Speech Coalition issued a press release today warning all primary producers of adult content to be prepared for inspections of their own. Their underlying message was decidedly ominous and to the point: "Prepare for an ass-fucking and call your lawyer."

Section 2257 is the regulatory code that requires producers of adult content to keep careful records of the ages of all models and actors. Although it is touted as a necessary tool for preventing child pornography, many in the adult industry claim the rules are far too restrictive.

According to a summary of 2257 on the FSC website the regulations impose "burdensome record keeping requirements on expression that is not even imaginably child pornography. Identification information must be gathered and recorded, then cross-indexed four different ways and stored in ways that are in some cases impossible."

Despite the difficulties posed by the code, initial reports indicate that Diabolic passed the inspection without any trouble.

"I'm passing with flying colors," Allan told AVN while the inspection was taking place. "I've dedicated a lot of time and money to this so I think I've taken it more seriously than a lot of people."

And what would you expect? Only a legitimate adult business would even attempt to comply with such Draconian regulations. Child pornographers don't set up shop in suburban neighborhoods, attend industry conventions and advertise their web sites in nationally distributed magazines.

Of course, strict age verification regulations will always be needed, but 2257 is nothing more than government hypocricy at its worst. Authorities are using Title 18 to discriminate against adult businesses in the name of stopping child pornography. But what they really want to do is stamp out sexual expression altogether.

We'll keep you posted as this story develops.