censorship post-FOSTA/SESTA
**researcher contact:**
name: Abigail Peterson
company: asstrocode
email: [email protected]
address: 3807 Keokuk St., St. Louis, MO 63116
**purpose of the study:**
you are invited to participate in a research project aimed at exploring how censorship affects adult content creators across digital platforms. this research will help to shape better policies and business practices that support the autonomy and creative expression of creators like you.
**voluntary participation:**
your participation in this research is entirely voluntary. you may withdraw at any time, for any reason, without penalty. there are no negative consequences for choosing not to participate or discontinuing your participation at any point.
**procedures:**
if you agree to participate, you will be asked to complete a survey. the survey will include questions about your experiences with censorship, content moderation, and platform restrictions. the estimated time commitment is between 15-60+ minutes depending on what you choose to share.
no personal identifying information will be required to complete the survey, however, some questions may request potentially identifiable information, particularly in the form of visual content to study discrimination within moderation practices. This content is not shared unless otherwise agreed upon, and in such a case, the photos will be edited to promote privacy.
the only potentially identifiable information attached to your data is the IP address of the device you are using, but it will not be collected nor included in the analysis. a free virtual private network (VPN) such as protonvpn.com or planetvpn.com can be used to anonymize your IP address if desired.
**risks:**
providing personal information is not required for participating in this survey, but you may choose to share some details and content that could be identifiable. when collecting information online, there is a negligible risk of raw data being exposed. every reasonable effort will be made to maintain confidentiality, including encrypting submissions, coding answers, and editing photos. any individual quotes used will be generalized to ensure confidentiality. data will be stored securely and will only be accessible to the research team for analysis purposes. findings may be published in academic papers, presentations, or business reports, but individual responses will remain anonymous. after the project concludes, data will be stored for a period of 5 years and then securely deleted.
discussing censorship and the dangers of sex work may evoke emotional responses. you are encouraged to skip any questions that feel uncomfortable or difficult.
**benefits:**
your input will contribute to larger efforts to advocate for fairer and more transparent policies on mainstream and niche platforms. by participating, you’ll help inform policymakers, platform developers, and the broader public about the real impacts of censorship on adult content creators.
your feedback will help businesses like asstrocode better serve creators, especially by tailoring digital tools, resources, and platforms that prioritize freedom of expression and minimize the impacts of censorship.
the findings from this research will also be shared in educational contexts, helping future policymakers and tech developers understand the nuances of censorship and its disproportionate effects on marginalized creators.
**contact for questions:**
if you have any questions about this research project, please contact Abigail Peterson at [email protected].
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**by participating in this survey, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the above information and consent to participate under these terms.**