This section complements the section on Erotica in Popular Culture, for although the prominence of erotica is well-established in modern society, it remains subject to continued legal wrangling and controversy. In the United States, puritan heritage clashes with capitalist drive in the highly popular and profitable arena of erotic arts and entertainment. Local, state, and federal authorities periodically flex their muscles with new laws and enforcement efforts against consumers, retailers, distributors, and producers of erotic content, especially in high-visibility cases that serve political agendas. Recent efforts to curtail “indecency” on broadcast airwaves, home video, and the Internet illustrate this trend. Meanwhile, production and consumption of erotica flourishes unabated, proving that it is difficult to quash what is so cherished by so many. This section examines various government efforts to control the proliferation of erotica, both past and present.