Adult Check

Adult Check

Adult Check, Inc. created and hosted one of the first and largest online age verification services. The network of web sites using the Adult Check verification system reached as many as 400,000[1] and the Adultcheck.com domain was ranked in the top 100 most visited internet web sites as late as 1999.[2]

Background

Age verification services (AVS) arose as an effort to limit access by minors to adult sites by providing access to a large number of sites through a common ID and password. Cybernet Ventures, Inc. created the Adult Check system when the Communications Decency Act of 1996 allowed websites to let visitors prove they were adults by using credit cards.[3] For a fee, customers bought an Adult Check password that unlocked hundreds of thousands of sites, and operators of these sites (webmasters) received a commission.[4]

Forbes estimated Adult Check's annual revenue as $320 million in 2001.[1]

Perfect 10 Lawsuit

On April 22, 2002, California courts issued a preliminary injunction against Cybernet Ventures that allowed courts to hear a case by Perfect 10 Magazine, who claimed copyright infringement by some of the sites protected by the Adult Check system.[5] Perfect 10 charged that Adult Check and Cybernet could not seek safe harbor of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512, since they benefitted financially, if indirectly, from these sites.[6] The injunction directed Cybernet to preemptively block access to any website containing the prohibited content.

The injunction was landmark because it opened the door to a broader definition of online liability. Perfect 10 proceeded to file lawsuits against even bigger companies, including Google, Amazon.com, Visa and MasterCard, but was unsuccessful. Similar adult and non-adult content companies sought legal action against intermediary companies like these in lieu of suing small site operators in hopes of big financial settlements.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Lubove, Seth (17 September 2001). "See No Evil.". Forbes Magazine. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/0917/068.html. 
  2. ^ "Apple Ranks In The Top 100 Web Sites Internet-Wide For July.". Mac Observer. 10 August 1999. http://www.macobserver.com/news/99/august/990810/pcdatajulywebsites.html. Retrieved 3 March 2010. 
  3. ^ Dotinga, Randy (10 May 2002). "Dirty Sites Jittery After Ruling.". Wired Magazine. http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2002/05/52429. Retrieved 3 March 2010. 
  4. ^ Gimein, Mark (1 December 1999). "Sex Sells, Doesn't It?". Salon.com. http://www.salon.com/technology/feature/1999/12/01/ieg/print.html. Retrieved 3 March 2010. 
  5. ^ Perfect 10, Inc. v. Cybernet Ventures, Inc., et al. 2002 U.S. Dist. Lexis 7333, CV 01-2595 LGB (C.D. Ca., April 22, 2002. [1] Retrieved 2010-03-03
  6. ^ The Digital Millennium Copyright Act: Text, History, and Caselaw. Overview by Christopher Wolf. 2003 ISBN 0-937275-11-5. Pike & Fischer, Inc. The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. p. 946.
  7. ^ Frank, Ted (24 November 2004). "Imperfect Lawsuits: Perfect 10 v. Google (and Visa and ...)". http://overlawyered.com/2004/11/imperfect-lawsuits-perfect-10-v-google-and-visa-and/. Retrieved 3 March 2010. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Adult Check — Ein Altersnachweissystem bzw. Adult/Age Verification System (auch Altersverifikationssystem, AVS) ist eine technische Lösung, um das Alter, insbesondere die Volljährigkeit, von Personen zu überprüfen. Anwendung finden diese Systeme vor allem auf… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adult\ Check — Vorgangsweise zur Sicherstellung der Volljährigkeit im Internet. Betreiber von speziellen Websites, beispielsweise von nicht jugendfreien Angeboten, prüfen die Kreditkartendaten. Erst nach positiver Prüfung werden dem Benutzer Usernamen und… …   Online-Wörterbuch Deutsch-Lexikon

  • Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule — Title screen Genre Comedy Created by John C. Reil …   Wikipedia

  • Adult Swim — Current Adult Swim logo used as of May 25, 2003 Launched September 2, 2001 March 27, 2005 (programming block) March 28, 2005 present (cable network) Network Cartoon Network ( …   Wikipedia

  • Adult Swim — (Эдалт свим) Страна …   Википедия

  • Adult stem cell — Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body after embryonic development that divide to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues. Also known as somatic (from Greek Σωματικóς, of the body ) stem cells, they can …   Wikipedia

  • Adult Verification System — Ein Altersnachweissystem bzw. Adult/Age Verification System (auch Altersverifikationssystem, AVS) ist eine technische Lösung, um das Alter, insbesondere die Volljährigkeit, von Personen zu überprüfen. Anwendung finden diese Systeme vor allem auf… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation — The Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation (AIM) is an organization which tests erotic actors for HIV and other STDs on a scheduled basis.Most tests for the sex industry actors are done at the Foundation s offices in the San Fernando… …   Wikipedia

  • Member check — Contents 1 Summary 2 Positive Aspects of Member Checking 3 Interviewing and Member Checking 4 Pertinent Questions …   Wikipedia

  • Reality Check (organization) — Reality Check is a youth based, adult mentored [ [http://www.tricountycessation.org/contactus.html Contact Us ,] Tri County Cessation Center. Retrieved 12/17/07. Note: Look under Reality Check . ] statewide youth program operated by the New York… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”