18
Online Pornography’s Golden Age
Despite the legal battles over Internet censorship and pornography,
the period from 1997 to 2006 saw enormous growth in the online
pornography industry. After the anti-indecency provisions of the
CDA were overturned in 1997, the US pornographic film indus-
try, which is based in California’s San Fernando Valley, began to
explore offering its products online. The Internet offered distinct
advantages to its customers, such as privacy and relative anonym-
ity. Also, the new digital technology behind DVDs (introduced in
1997) also allowed for digital downloads, which would let peo-
ple view pornography in the privacy of their own homes without
having to rent or purchase it at a video store or have it delivered
The sunny San
Fernando Valley in
Los Angeles (pictured)
is the hub of the US
pornographic film
industry. The Internet
and advances in
digital technology
have helped the
industry grow.
