Hosting Adult Content

[TerranTitan]

I currently am hosting an adult oriented website here in the US. I wouldn't call it a pornography site, but there are nude pictures that gets posted, and some of the content discussed are things that may be considered a little too risque. ( guys will talk about strippers, dating websites, and even their experiences with escorts- as well as other topics that are perfectly legal in places like Canada and the Netherlands, grey areas here in the U.S.)

Although it currently meets my hosts TOS, I think I would be more comfortable moving my site and having it hosted in either Canada or the Netherlands.

My question is more a two parter- If I have my adult site hosted on a server out of the County (where all content is 100% legal), am I protected even though I live in the US?

Also, if I have a site hosted in the Netherlands but the company is actually headquartered in the US, does the content of the site fall under NL law or US law?

 

[Slavik]

Generally the law will say its your personal jurisdiction.

Eg, if I hosted an offshore site with movie downloads on it, I could still be prosecuted under UK law, even though the site is elsewhere.

 

[Snog]

A lot of people are under the mistaken impression that if you have a server in another country the authorities can't touch you.

If you're a resident of the US, US law applies and you can be prosecuted if your server has something it shouldn't, regardless of where the server is.

And those that think hiding their identity at the registrar level protects them from being found are sadly mistaken too. I can name several people that are now either in prison or have paid hefty fines by trying that and having their servers offshore.

 

[Andy.N]

And those that think hiding their identity at the registrar level protects them from being found are sadly mistaken too. I can name several people that are now either in prison or have paid hefty fines by trying that and having their servers offshore.

Is there anyway for us to find out the contact names hidden by registrars (usually services offered by registrars themselves)?

 

[imthebest]

No, unless you are a big and international law enforcement agency.

 

[Snog]

Is there anyway for us to find out the contact names hidden by registrars (usually services offered by registrars themselves)?

Any law enforcement agency can do it quicker than you can blink an eye. Well OK, maybe not that fast but it doesn't take long.

 

[Mike Edge]

Generally the law will say its your personal jurisdiction.

Eg, if I hosted an offshore site with movie downloads on it, I could still be prosecuted under UK law, even though the site is elsewhere.

Exactly! Perfect example of this is the pirate bay case. Dude was on the run for 3 years before they caught him.