FETISHWEEK – PayPal’s Ban on Erotic Fiction

Dirk Hooper’s FETISHWEEK – PayPal’s Ban on Erotic Fiction

February 26 – March 3, 2012

I took a long vacation in Tucson and now I’m dealing with a computer crash, so I’m a little behind… but I’m catching up!

The Feature Story in this issue of FETISHWEEK is how PayPal tried to ban the sale of ebooks that had what they deemed to be objectionable content.  What was the content affected by the ban?

“PayPal told the booksellers they may not sell works of fiction that include sexual fantasies containing themes and implied scenarios of: pseudo-incest (including “daddy” fantasies, step-family), incest, fantasies about non-consensual sex or rape, bestiality (widened to include non-human fantasy creatures), and BDSM.

Under the new PayPal policy, Mark Corker of Smashwords told all the Smashwords authors they would also have to remove paranormal romance that included shape-shifters – if the shape-shifters were to have sex in their non-human forms.”

PayPal backed off (mostly) from their stance after a shitstorm of bad media attention and rightly so.  PayPal has a monopoly when it comes to online payment.  Furthermore, who the hell is PayPal to serve as the moral arbiter of what content their customers consume?

The next issue of FETISHWEEK focuses on the viral explosion of the ebook “50 Shades of Grey”, which the PayPal ban would have affected specifically.  Given the popularity of “50 Shades of Grey” I think it proves outright that PayPal’s definition of obscene does not match the general public.

What do you think?  Should PayPal have stuck to their ban or did they make the right decision to back off?  You can leave me a comment below or email me at: dirk@dirkhooper.com

[highlight]Feature Story[/highlight]

Alert! PayPal Strong-Arms Ebook Publishers Over Erotic Content http://bit.ly/zeHibJ

PayPal backs down on erotic e-book ban – Technolog on msnbc.com http://on.msnbc.com/GG3iMi

[highlight]News[/highlight]

PayPal cracks down on publishers of erotic literature, including furotica | flayrah http://bit.ly/AAVR2z

Wicked Grounds Coffee House Reopens: S.F. Regains a BDSM Community Hub http://bit.ly/zDFxGq

Kickstarter Expected to Provide More Funding Than National Endowment for the Arts in 2012 http://aol.it/y4n1jb

Dr. Ruth Is A Trained Israeli Sniper Who Doesn’t Like To Treat People Who Are Into Bondage http://bit.ly/x2ig0L

Tokyo foot-fetish massage parlor busted for below-the-belt services http://bit.ly/wyBD6D

Sexy BDSM Trilogy Heating Up Wives! | Gather http://bit.ly/AwJDYC

Salon Reporter May Testify at Isaacs Obscenity Trial – XBIZ Newswire http://bit.ly/x8EFcI

[highlight]Articles[/highlight]

Do Kinky People Need Kink Aware Therapists? http://bit.ly/ypSt3f

Shame, fame, and the body politic – Opinion – The Boston Globe http://b.globe.com/zlkmFh Wow, this article is good…

Erotic Spanking: Dos & Don’ts | Women24 http://bit.ly/wlk15a

How to Prioritize Your Online Marketing — Art Biz Blog http://bit.ly/xbZfxm

A Kinky Family Reunion – The Huffington Post http://huff.to/z5EQ9i

The Dominant/ submissive discussion – what do you want? http://bit.ly/zrcSRq

The High Maintenance submissive http://bit.ly/yyNmTg

Mistress Lilyana: Subtradiction – by the writer http://bit.ly/ygqzcm

What is your BDSM status? http://bit.ly/zrhJ7E

Queer sex, kink & love – Perverse Pleasures http://bit.ly/ApBWZE

Cleaning for a BDSM Sex Party http://bit.ly/zZcdye

London Mistress School – Learn to be a Dominatrix http://bit.ly/wGkLfY

Ashley Hames: Let’s Talk About Sex: Pegging http://huff.to/wzeQ32

The Harvard Crimson on BDSM: The Kinkiest Student-Newspaper Article Ever? http://bit.ly/xhyE4C

Weekend Workout: The Dominatrix http://bit.ly/yynAal

How 5 Artists Use Pinterest http://bit.ly/wlc0gV

[highlight]Kinky Blogs[/highlight]

Why I don’t make a good Sandwich… http://bit.ly/w4hVDv

fucked his ass and fell asleep http://bit.ly/yMz2Ek

First time female domination – off balance http://bit.ly/AapIro

Restraint… without restraints (E) http://bit.ly/zL6y7n

Do you have an inclination for BDSM? | http://Quizfarm.com Page 1 http://bit.ly/y9Qlks

[highlight]Entertainment[/highlight]

AVN – ‘Rubber Bordello’ Takes New Approach to Fetish Films http://bit.ly/yc5Yjy

Naked Girls Reading and Horse Trade Theater Company Present STEAMPUNK, http://bit.ly/AeTN8q

Dita Von Teese on Katy Perry’s Look – http://NYPOST.com http://bit.ly/A1wqYw

Video Review: Kink Crusaders – Mr. International Leather http://bit.ly/zaEpjD

[highlight]Art and Fashion[/highlight]

Dita Von Teese has designed a range of underwear, world rejoices at the pictures http://bit.ly/yw7gnM

Helena Christensen Showcases Her Own Designs For Triumph Essence Lingerie http://bit.ly/wWEsZh

Jack Kirby’s Erotic Flirtations: The Sensual Side of the King of Comics http://aol.it/wg2EKS

[highlight]Events[/highlight]

Eroticon – the UK convention for erotic writers and sex bloggers http://bit.ly/Amgvym

KINK 1001: Minneapolis, MN http://bit.ly/y7oiov

Seattle Erotic Art Festival – June 16-24, 2012- Art Activist Society Black Tie Affair, April 14 http://bit.ly/Aka6VR

[highlight]Photos and Videos[/highlight]

Madame Michaela – BIZARRE-BUZZ : KINKY – FETISH & BDSM http://bit.ly/Achbhy

Kelly Osbourne Latex Lovecat — LatexGirlsHD http://bit.ly/zXcHBU

Devon Aki in Latex — LatexGirlsHD http://bit.ly/yQT2xz

Masuimi Max fetish model – BIZARRE-BUZZ : KINKY – FETISH & BDSM http://bit.ly/yqeQrP

FHG UPDATE – ACTIONGIRLS Models Photos – BIZARRE-BUZZ : KINKY – FETISH & BDSM http://bit.ly/wNOAfU

Stunning Mad Moxxi Cosplay http://bit.ly/zTGSXm

Batgirl In Latex [Cosplay] « Fashionably Geek http://bit.ly/Ar9QWJ

London Mistress – BIZARRE-BUZZ : KINKY – FETISH & BDSM http://bit.ly/wqo012

[info_box]Dirk Hooper is a fine-art fetish photographer, host of The Fetish Show radio program, BDSM mentor, FETISHWEEK editor and personal brand czar.[/info_box]