Just when it seems that the legal distinctions between real world conduct and actions in cyberspace are becoming completely blurred, a federal appellate court issues a decision that clearly distinguishes between what is “real” and what is online. Last week, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Voyeur Dorm v. City of Tampaconcluded that the operation of a business that offers online voyeurism does not violate zoning restrictions because the voyeurs are not physically present in the community in question. The court’s decision defeated the City of Tampa’s several-year effort to shut down “Voyeur Dorm” for running what the city argued is an “adult entertainment” operation in a local residence, and enabled Voyeur Dorm to continue its multi-million dollar business.
VOYEUR DORM
