2257 Compliance For Camming Sites
18 U.S. Code § 2257 defines the age verification and record keeping requirements that all producers and porn sites must be compliant with. 2257 is something that everyone within the adult industry should be aware of and compliant with. This is especially true for “primary producers” and webmasters running sites where models are registering and providing services on. This includes but isn’t limited to: Camming sites, clip sites, PSO networks, ect. Producers should also have a strong understanding of the law, especially those that are hiring talent or doing trade shoots. Here’s everything you need to know about 2257 and we’ve got the full language of the law at the bottom, if you’d like to read the whole thing.
Consulting An Industry Lawyer Highly Recommended
It’s highly advised that you consult an adult industry attorney to fully consult you on 2257 Compliance and make sure your site is completely compliant. Affiliates using content provided them from the affiliate program are “Secondary Producers” and 2257 isn’t as big of an issue, but even affiliates should have an understanding of the law. For site operators and producers, 2257 Compliance is a major issue.
Who’s Responsible For 2257 Compliance?
All “Primary Producers” are responsible for verifying the age and identities of producers and compiling and maintaining the the 2257 Documentation. A primary producer is anyone producing the actual content. While many camming and clip sites are claiming that they are secondary producers, they all still collect the same information. One could argue; since the camming site is broadcasting the content, they are actually producing the content. It’s important to note that 2257 was originally drafted before camming became a thing.
Regardless of whether the sites are primary or secondary producers, it’s important that they verify the age and identity of all performers on the site..
Primary Vs Secondary Producers
Secondary producers are basically affiliates, as well as parties such as social media sites that are only hosting content uploaded by 3rd parties. Since these parties are not actually producing the content, they are not responsible for collecting the data from the performers featured on their site, in order to stay compliant with the laws. It’s still important that affiliates only use content provided by the affiliate content, to ensure that the content being used is actually 2257 compliant.
How To Verify Age / Identity In Compliance
The primary producers are responsible for collecting the name and age of anyone featured in any visual depictions. The information required is the name and age of each performer, as well as their maiden name, alias, nickname, stage, or professional name. Primary producers should produce a digital copy of government-issued ID, as well as a photo of the performer holding the ID.
Full Text of 18 U.S. Code § 2257
(a)Whoever produces any book, magazine, periodical, film, videotape, digital image, digitally- or computer-manipulated image of an actual human being, picture, or other matter that—
(1)contains 1 or more visual depictions of simulated sexually explicit conduct; and
(2)is produced in whole or in part with materials which have been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, or is shipped or transported or is intended for shipment or transportation in interstate or foreign commerce;
shall create and maintain individually identifiable records pertaining to every performer portrayed in such a visual depiction.
(b)Any person to whom subsection (a) applies shall, with respect to every performer portrayed in a visual depiction of simulated sexually explicit conduct—
(1)ascertain, by examination of an identification document containing such information, the performer’s name and date of birth, and require the performer to provide such other indicia of his or her identity as may be prescribed by regulations;
(2)ascertain any name, other than the performer’s present and correct name, ever used by the performer including maiden name, alias, nickname, stage, or professional name; and
(3)record in the records required by subsection (a) the information required by paragraphs (1) and (2) and such other identifying information as may be prescribed by regulation.
(c)Any person to whom subsection (a) applies shall maintain the records required by this section at their business premises, or at such other place as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe and shall make such records available to the Attorney General for inspection at all reasonable times.
(d)
(1)No information or evidence obtained from records required to be created or maintained by this section shall, except as provided in this section, directly or indirectly, be used as evidence against any person with respect to any violation of law.
(2)Paragraph (1) shall not preclude the use of such information or evidence in a prosecution or other action for a violation of this chapter or chapter 71, or for a violation of any applicable provision of law with respect to the furnishing of false information.
(e)
(1)Any person to whom subsection (a) applies shall cause to be affixed to every copy of any matter described in subsection (a)(1) in such manner and in such form as the Attorney General shall by regulations prescribe, a statement describing where the records required by this section with respect to all performers depicted in that copy of the matter may be located. In this paragraph, the term “copy” includes every page of a website on which matter described in subsection (a) appears.
(2)If the person to whom subsection (a) applies is an organization the statement required by this subsection shall include the name, title, and business address of the individual employed by such organization responsible for maintaining the records required by this section.
(f)It shall be unlawful—
(1)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies to fail to create or maintain the records as required by subsections (a) and (c) or by any regulation promulgated under this section;
(2)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies knowingly to make any false entry in or knowingly to fail to make an appropriate entry in, any record required by subsection (b) or any regulation promulgated under this section;
(3)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies knowingly to fail to comply with the provisions of subsection (e) or any regulation promulgated pursuant to that subsection; or
(4)for any person knowingly to sell or otherwise transfer, or offer for sale or transfer, any book, magazine, periodical, film, video, or other matter, produced in whole or in part with materials which have been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce or which is intended for shipment in interstate or foreign commerce, that—
(A)contains 1 or more visual depictions made after the date of enactment of this subsection of simulated sexually explicit conduct; and
(B)is produced in whole or in part with materials which have been mailed or shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, or is shipped or transported or is intended for shipment or transportation in interstate or foreign commerce;
which does not have affixed thereto, in a manner prescribed as set forth in subsection (e)(1), a statement describing where the records required by this section may be located, but such person shall have no duty to determine the accuracy of the contents of the statement or the records required to be kept.
(5)for any person to whom subsection (a) applies to refuse to permit the Attorney General or his or her designee to conduct an inspection under subsection (c).
(g)As used in this section, the terms “produces” and “performer” have the same meaning as in section 2257(h) of this title.
(h)
(1)The provisions of this section and section 2257 shall not apply to matter, or any image therein, containing one or more visual depictions of simulated sexually explicit conduct, or actual sexually explicit conduct as described in clause (v) of section 2256(2)(A), if such matter—
(A)
(i)is intended for commercial distribution;
(ii)is created as a part of a commercial enterprise by a person who certifies to the Attorney General that such person regularly and in the normal course of business collects and maintains individually identifiable information regarding all performers, including minor performers, employed by that person, pursuant to Federal and State tax, labor, and other laws, labor agreements, or otherwise pursuant to industry standards, where such information includes the name, address, and date of birth of the performer; and
(iii)is not produced, marketed or made available by the person described in clause (ii) to another in circumstances such than [1] an ordinary person would conclude that the matter contains a visual depiction that is child pornography as defined in section 2256(8); or
(B)
(i)is subject to the authority and regulation of the Federal Communications Commission acting in its capacity to enforce section 1464 of this title, regarding the broadcast of obscene, indecent or profane programming; and
(ii)is created as a part of a commercial enterprise by a person who certifies to the Attorney General that such person regularly and in the normal course of business collects and maintains individually identifiable information regarding all performers, including minor performers, employed by that person, pursuant to Federal and State tax, labor, and other laws, labor agreements, or otherwise pursuant to industry standards, where such information includes the name, address, and date of birth of the performer.
(2)Nothing in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) shall be construed to exempt any matter that contains any visual depiction that is child pornography, as defined in section 2256(8), or is actual sexually explicit conduct within the definitions in clauses (i) through (iv) of section 2256(2)(A).
(i)
(1)Whoever violates this section shall be imprisoned for not more than 1 year, and [2] fined in accordance with the provisions of this title, or both.
(2)Whoever violates this section in an effort to conceal a substantive offense involving the causing, transporting, permitting or offering or seeking by notice or advertisement, a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct in violation of this title, or to conceal a substantive offense that involved trafficking in material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, including receiving, transporting, advertising, or possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor with intent to traffic, in violation of this title, shall be imprisoned for not more than 5 years and 2 fined in accordance with the provisions of this title, or both.
(3)Whoever violates paragraph (2) after having been previously convicted of a violation punishable under that paragraph shall be imprisoned for any period of years not more than 10 years but not less than 2 years, and 2 fined in accordance with the provisions of this title, or both.The [3] provisions of this section shall not become effective until 90 days after the final regulations implementing this section are published in the Federal Register. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any matter, or image therein, produced, in whole or in part, prior to the effective date of this section.
(k)On an annual basis, the Attorney General shall submit a report to Congress—
(1)concerning the enforcement of this section and section 2257 by the Department of Justice during the previous 12-month period; and
(2)including—(A)the number of inspections undertaken pursuant to this section and section 2257;
(B)the number of open investigations pursuant to this section and section 2257;
(C)the number of cases in which a person has been charged with a violation of this section and section 2257; and
(D)for each case listed in response to subparagraph (C), the name of the lead defendant, the federal district in which the case was brought, the court tracking number, and a synopsis of the violation and its disposition, if any, including settlements, sentences, recoveries and penalties.