Ibrahim, the law and the EU’s internal market of pornography

This article examines the case of Ibrahim, a Syrian-born porn actor living in Europe, whose life story was told by Ben Judah in his book This is Europe . While this tale may appear to be the success story of a self-made man, a closer reading of the chapter reveals a certain sense of despair within the gilded cage of the pornography industry. The contribution aims to demonstrate that Ibrahim’s story, as narrated by Judah, offers a unique lens through which to examine broader issues: the internal contradictions of the European project between fostering economic integration and promoting social well-being, and the difficult regulation of human bodies and pornography within the European legal framework. The article begins by examining Ibrahim’s journey from precarious asylum seeker to transnational porn superstar. It then explores the relationship between Ibrahim’s story and European law. First, it examines how his various legal statuses, from migrant to German citizen, shape his daily life, then it examines the relationship between Ibrahim and internal market law, and how this legal framework grants him access to an entire economic system. Finally, it considers how Ibrahim’s story fits into the EU’s approach to the platform economy. The conclusion of the essay highlights the European legal system’s failure to understand and acknowledge the difficulties of Ibrahim’s life as recounted by Ben Judah and, more broadly, the difficulties experienced by individuals in the pornography industry. Consequently, the authors of this contribution call for a fresh examination of how European law might better reflect people’s lived experiences.