NEW YORK — The Wall Street Journal published a column over the weekend purporting to reveal “what porn does to teen brains.”

The article, by the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper’s “Family & Tech” reporter Julie Jargon, attempts to stake out a middle ground between “porn addiction” panic pieces that frequently appear in mainstream publications, and a more balanced approach that explains some of the actual science behind compulsive behavior in general.

The title of Jargon’s article, “What Porn Does to Teen Brains and How to Keep It Off Their Devices,” appears to reference debunked pseudoscience. While she stops short of endorsing such controversial views, Jargon does quote a 2014 study by Cambridge University researcher Valerie Voon that concluded, “When shown pornographic images, the men’s brain activity mirrored that of drug addicts who were shown photos of drugs.”

She seems to buy into the “addiction” argument, writing, “Imagine a 24-hour candy store where kids could gorge on sugar, without parents there to stop them … what can such readily available porn do to kids’ brains?” and claiming that research shows “younger people’s brains are more wired for pleasure than adults, with higher spikes of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine released in anticipation of enjoyable activities … Because of this, many researchers believe young people are more vulnerable to compulsive porn use, which can lead to unrealistic views on sex.”

However, Jargon veers away from the standard “porn addiction” panic narrative by clearly stating that “psychologists say it’s important to talk to kids about porn without making them feel ashamed. Some exposure to it can be a natural part of development, they say, and porn shouldn’t be shunned in a way that creates a taboo. They do, however, recommend using tech guardrails to reduce the chances that younger kids see things they’re not ready to see.”

Jargon even quotes researcher Nicole Prause, who persuasively argues that “if we shut down conversations and say, ‘Don’t watch porn, and if you do, it’s an addiction and it will rot your brain,’ that’s terrifying … It’s some of the messaging that’s making it worse.” 

A Study Hijacked by the ‘Fight Porn Addiction’ Industry

Jargon omitted key elements of the 2014 Valerie Voon study, which clearly illustrate its misuse by the lucrative “fight porn addiction” industry.

“The upshot of Voon’s study is that there could be a shared brain network associated with many compulsive disorders, regardless of whether they involve consumption of drugs or more ‘natural’ rewards such as sex,” The Guardian’s science reporter Chris Chambers pointed out in 2014.

“Do these results mean that compulsive viewing of pornography is an addiction like dependence on cocaine or heroine?” Chambers asked. “No, and Voon is keen to emphasize this point in both the published article and the press release issued by Cambridge University. Addiction can’t be diagnosed with a brain scan.”

Noting that mainstream psychiatry still doesn’t know enough about compulsive sexual behavior to label it as an addiction, Chambers praised Voon for producing a nuanced report that explicitly discourages the kind of generalizations and fault causation regularly trotted out by anti-porn crusaders.

“Do the results tell us that online pornography itself is addictive like a drug?” Chambers asked. “No. Do they say anything at all about the non-compulsive viewing of pornography? No. Do they allow us to conclude that pornography ‘damages’ or ‘changes’ the brain in any harmful way? No.”

We cannot draw strong conclusions, he noted, from a single study that tested only a small number of men.

Nevertheless, another Rupert Murdoch publication, the New York Post, yesterday rehashed Jargon’s Wall Street Journal piece — but crucially re-inserted the kind of “porn addiction” propaganda that the financial daily shied away from.

“Children and teenagers who are exposed to pornography online are more likely to develop an addiction to smut than adults, according to researchers,” wrote the New York Post’s Ariel Zilber.

Jul 5, 2022 4:17 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Maestro Claudio’s recently launched DPDiva has landed the first DP from Brenna McKenna.

“Dressed in pink lingerie, Brenna expresses her excitement for her first DP scene,” a rep said. “She quickly gets to learn what’s in store as Michael Stefano and Ramon Nomar give her oral pleasure, and Brenna reciprocates. Brenna takes turns with Michael and Ramon, riding them as they take turns with her holes.”

McKenna described the scene as “so special and authentic.”

“I got to do my first DP ever, and catch it all on film,” she said. “To be able to share such a vulnerable moment with the fans is crazy. They’re getting the real deal with me. Ramon and Michael took care of my holes and gave me the best first time ever.”

“And it’s also amazing working with the Maestro again, because learning from him and creating with him is so fun,” she added. “We had this moment coming and I really enjoyed making it with the crew at DPDiva.”

A trailer and additional details for the scene can be found here.

Follow Brenna McKenna and DPDiva on Twitter.

Jul 5, 2022 3:27 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Evil Angel will premiere four new hardcore titles this week as well as nine new member-exclusive scenes.

Dropping Wednesday is “Anal Angels 5” featuring “a glamorous cast and gorgeously lensed nastiness,” noted a rep, from director Jonni Darkko, and “Anal Elegance 4,” where director David Perry “dresses starlets in stylish finery and then strips away the genteel exterior, revealing the lust inside” as well as the latest “crazy fun” from Rocco Siffredi in “Rocco’s Sex Clinic: Treatment 2.”

Additionally, director Aiden Starr offers “Bisexual Volume 2” with “four freaky threesomes featuring double-penetration as voracious women play with pairs of bi guys.”

Arriving Thursday is “Fetish Adventurer” on the Evil Angel Red label from directors Pat Myne, Chris Streams and Aiden Riley. Pairings include Michael Stefano taking on Skylar Snow, Tiffany Watson and Rebel Rhyder, respectively, as well as a threesome with Stefano, Adira Allure and Joanna Angel.

Set to debut online Wednesday is Korra Del Rio hooking up with cis starlet Destiny Cruz for director Starr and PansexualX, and Yasmin de Castro seducing a musclebound stud from director JD’s “Transgressive 9.”

Dropping Thursday and Saturday are scenes from Siffredi’s “The Spanish Stallion: Shalina Devine’s True Power of Sex,” while three scenes from “Anal Elegance 4” and one tryst from “Anal Angels 4” will debut.

Content creator Scarlet Chase will premiere an “extremely wet” scene, titled “Squirting and Cream Enemas,” on Sunday, July 10.

Visit EvilAngel.com for additional information and follow the studio on Twitter.

For domestic sales, contact Rick Porras at rick@evilangel.com; for international sales and licensing, email Alexandra Kelley at alex@evilangel.com.

Jul 5, 2022 2:59 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Wicked Sensual Care (WSC) will exhibit at the in-person ANME running from July 11-13 in Burbank, California.

WSC reps will staff booth Nos. 114-115 and will feature “the full range of the manufacturer’s products, including its award-winning ‘simply’ line, a rep said. “With no propylene glycol or glycerin, all ‘simply’ products feature clean ingredients, including the brand’s proprietary olive leaf extract, and are 100% vegan, cruelty-free and paraben-free. New for 2022, the booth will showcase three exciting additions to the ‘simply’ line — delicious and refreshing flavors designed to delight consumers, drive sales and deliver customer satisfaction.”

The entire WSC sales and marketing team will be available at ANME each day to “answer questions and give buyers the tools, support and brand info needed to grow their WSC business,” added the rep.

Additionally, the 2022 StorErotica Awards ceremony, hosted by Sunny Rodgers, will be held during ANME on July 12, where WSC has been nominated for Sexual Enhancement Company of the Year and Lubricant Manufacturer of the Year.

“We’re excited to be exhibiting at ANME in person once again,” said WSC marketing director Cassie Pendleton. “It’s the ideal forum to meet with new and existing customers to strategize effective ways to grow business. We are thrilled to get the opportunity to showcase our products and debut our latest creations.”

Find additional information about ANME online here.

Visit WSC’s B2B portal and follow the company on Twitter; to schedule an appointment during ANME, contact sales@wickedsensualcare.com.

MOSCOW — Ukrainian activists have reportedly started buying ad space on adult sites accessible in Russia to bypass Vladimir Putin’s ramped-up censorship efforts and access accurate information about the invasion.

Adult sites are “perfect” conduits for disseminating information to counteract state propaganda, wrote Jemimah Steinfeld, editor-in-chief of “Index on Censorship,” in an opinion piece published by The Guardian over the weekend.

Steinfeld cited Ukrainian digital marketing expert Anastasiya Baydachenko as saying that adult sites offer “huge audiences” whose operators prioritize profits over politics and are therefore quite willing to take her money.

To counter Putin’s aggressive policing of Russia’s internet, Steinfeld explained, Baydachenko came up with a simple plan: “Buy ad space across websites in Russia and Belarus and use them to link to independent news on the war in Ukraine. The adverts could be direct, or they could be oblique, even titillating, to conceal their true nature and evade the censors.”

Baydachenko first tried buying ads on Google, YouTube, Facebook and other high-traffic sites, but Russia’s “fake news” law undermined that effort — whereas the ads on adult sites, Baydachenko said, have been able to reached hundreds of millions of internet users in Russia.

Last December, several months before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Putin increased pressure on open platforms through state regulators and the courts.

As XBIZ reported, Google was fined nearly $100 million for “systematic failure to remove banned content,” a term that encompasses any political and social messaging of which the Moscow government does not approve, along with almost all adult material online.

The December 2021 fine followed a series of reports by Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media. The Washington Post reported that it was the largest such penalty yet in Russia, calling such fines Moscow’s attempts to “rein in Western tech giants.” 

Meta — the company formerly known as Facebook, which also owns Instagram — was fined approximately $27 million for the same supposed crime against mandatory moderation.

“The fine represents an escalation in Russia’s push to pressure foreign tech firms to comply with its increasingly strict rules on what it deems illegal content,” wrote the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan.

SYDNEY, Australia — Angela White was featured on a recent installment of the popular Australian TV series “You Can’t Ask That,” as part of a panel of porn stars answering questions from viewers.

The program, which features candid talking-head interviews before a plain background — a popular format optimized for maximum social media shareability — included White and fellow Australian performers Arianna Kody, Nikki Stern, Woody Fox and Robbie Cox.

White described her first foray into the industry as “a little scary because it was my first time overseas. I was a curious teen and I was always fascinated by porn.”

Since then, things have changed a lot for her. “Now when I’m fucking on camera it’s much easier than an interview like this,” she said.

White shared other insights about the realities of being a popular adult performer. Among them: “It is difficult to find a partner that you truly connect with.”

White stood by her career choice, however, noting that “They say do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

To watch Angela White on “You Can’t Ask That,” visit ABC (Australia) or view a teaser on YouTube.

Jul 1, 2022 5:35 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Cherie DeVille has released a self-produced “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers” parody with herself as the Pink Power Ranger, Montana as the Yellow Ranger, Chad Alva as the Green Ranger, John Legendary as the Red Ranger and Alex Mack as the Blue Ranger.

Directed by Ivan, the piece begins with Lord Head — a parody of Lord Zedd — placing a spell on the Power Rangers so “they have no choice but to participate in a no-holds-barred orgy,” a rep said.

“I can’t believe I did a Power Rangers parody,” DeVille said. “This was such an amazing scene to film. Everyone gave 100% and I’m so grateful to everyone that brought this vision to life. Thank you Misha, Chad, John and Alex for participating, and thank you Ivan for directing.”

Cherie DeVille is represented by OC Modeling and a Brazzers contract star; follow her on Twitter and find her premium social media links here.

Jul 1, 2022 5:26 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Misha Montana is touting the release of two new studio-shot scenes as well as several recent media appearances and podcast interviews.

The performer and content creator also serves as Alt Erotic chief brand ambassador, production manager and director.

She currently appears opposite Cherie DeVille and Alex Legend in “Awakening DeVille” from Brazzers, and Karma Rx and Alex Mack in “Real Pornstars” from Naughty America.

Montana and her fiancée, Alt Erotic’s Ivan, are featured in a pair of recent articles from Daily Star UK; the first story is titled “I Accidentally Became a Porn Director Even Though I’m Old-Fashioned and Prudish,” and the second is headlined “Porn Director Shares Grimmest On-Set Moments.”

The pair have released a new 36-minute episode of their podcast, “2 Russians, 1 America,” and Montana recently sat for an interview with the podcast “Recovery After Stroke.”

Follow “Recovery After Stroke” on Twitter.

Pending are interviews with the “Soft White Underbelly” podcast from Mark Laita, and “The Sauce” podcast with Kenzie Taylor.”

Follow Misha Montana on Twitter and find her premium social media linkage here.

Jul 1, 2022 5:06 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Newcomer Alicia Reign is the latest performer to sign with Coxxx Models for representation.

Reign launched her career in early 2021 and has shot for studios such as TeamSkeet, Evil Angel, Bang Bros and ATKingdom.

“I am so excited and more than ready to kick-tart my career in this amazing industry; all we have is ‘now,’ so do what you want,” enthused Reign. “My greatest accomplishment so far would be joining the adult industry; I love everything about it, and I look forward to working with the best costars and companies in the business.”

Agency owner and founder Conor Coxxx welcomed the starlet.

“We are super-excited Alicia has joined the team, and I’m looking forward to assisting her with taking her career to the next level,” Coxxx said.

Her new agency profile can be found here; follow the company on Twitter.

Access Alicia Reign’s premium social media links here.

LOS ANGELES — Wicked is releasing the first installment of director James Avalon’s Wicked Noir feature “Dark Is the Night” starring Kenna James, Kiara Cole, Seth Gamble and Nathan Bronson.

Produced by Axel Braun and scripted, shot and edited by Avalon, the “moody, tightly-plotted psychodrama follows a bored housewife (James) as she uses her arcane skills and feral sexuality to explore the troubled mind of a mysterious man to whom she’s rented a room (Gamble),” explained a rep.

“On the surface, this enigmatic stranger appears to be the ideal new tenant. He’s soft-spoken and charming, everything her loutish, insensitive husband (Bronson) isn’t,” the rep continued. “The tension in their marriage is made palpable through the couples’ sex scene; James ravishes Bronson in a torrid encounter that is by turns sensual, unquenchable and emotionally raw.”

Avalon noted that the script for “Dark Is the Night” is the culmination of a story he has developed over the course of 10 years.

“I pitched it to virtually every studio that produces features, and they all turned it down, saying it was too dark, too twisted or that they were uninterested in the film noir angle, or in releasing a four-character film,” Avalon recalled.

The shoot was his first time directing James.

“It’s easy to see why she’s become the superstar she is today,” he said. “She brings incredible focus and professionalism to every aspect of her performance; you can count on her coming to set impeccably prepared.

“While I’ve worked with Seth before, the same qualities apply; he brings a massive amount of focus and research to any part you give him,” the director continued. “This part is one of the more unusual roles he’s played. To paraphrase ‘True Detective,’ ‘the world is a veil and the face you wear is not your own.’ Seth took that conceit and made it wholly his own.”

Avalon expects that even Cole’s most ardent fans “are going to be blown away by what she brings to ‘Dark Is the Night.'”

“It was a given that she’d deliver a sexually explosive performance, but the nuances to her acting are nothing short of revelatory,” Avalon noted. “And I can say the same thing about Nathan; many of the roles he’s performed for other studios have been purely sexual, or comedic and ‘goofy’ in tone. He’s been undervalued and underused in this industry, but frankly, I couldn’t have picked a better actor to bring Kenna’s boorish asshole of a husband to life. He was clearly excited to be cast against type and given a real character he could flesh out and build from the ground up. He’s a great performer in every sense of the word.”

Avalon additionally singled out the project’s art direction by Kylie Ireland as “flawless.”

“She understood instinctively what we were going for in terms of a timeless, neo-noir look,” he said. “We play with negative space a lot in this movie, and she and Shaun Rivera, who lit her sets under my direction, were key reasons we pulled it off so successfully.”

Avalon thanked Axel Braun for “recognizing that enthusiasm for a project is the most important thing you bring to the table.”

“He is so talented and so passionate about filmmaking, yet as a producer, he doesn’t micromanage you or the talent,” noted the director. “If you and your cast are genuinely excited about a project, he gives you full creative control without interference. He saw ‘Dark Is The Night’ as the perfect Wicked Noir movie, as it has all the elements of a classic film noir melodrama — betrayal, revenge, shifting alliances — everything the classics of the genre, or new updates like Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Nightmare Alley,’ are known for.

“Yet I was careful to set it in a time seemingly “outside of time,'” he added. “There were references to cell phones and tablets in early drafts of the screenplay that I eliminated prior to locking in the shooting script. And when modern devices do appear, like a high-end still camera, I added a 70-year-old lens to it to give it an off-kilter, retro look.”

The opening installment of “Dark Is the Night” is now available as a member exclusive on Wicked.com.

Follow James Avalon and Wicked Pictures on Twitter.