Interwebology: Porn, sex, and censorship
There has been a lot of talk in
recent years about getting ISPs in
on the war against illegal downloading.
With the availability of
deep packet inspection, it wouldn't
be difficult for ISPs to monitor the
file types that their services are
providing access to and allow or
restrict data flow accordingly.
But some people are thinking about using the technology for more than purely economic causes. Some people have things like moral fiber, modesty, and traditional values in mind.
They would like to ban pornography.
Aside from the intended consequences, there could be others: the sale of physical pornography (DVDs and magazines) would probably skyrocket as people who are used to having constant access would have to outsource their supply; poorly made amateur porn would decline as people would be forced to go through semi-reputable companies in order to expose themselves; and the concept of the “Porn Star” would resurge as the chaff is shaken off and recurring, bankable actors and actresses would regain visibility.
Plus wouldn't it be interesting if all the niche-market perverts actually had to socialize with each other in order to trade their personal libraries?
It might not be as far off as you think.
Recently Walmart bought out VUDU, an on-demand video company, and elected to block all pornographic material, even that which was already bought and paid for. Apple also recently purged its store, removing even the tamest of apps. The purge did not go off without a hitch, however. Some apps were restored after a few days, and others didn't make the chopping block. After the initial cut, a relatively unpopular app called Tubes! saw its sales spike to $10,000 simply because it was one of the very few “sexy” apps left.
The problem is that it isn't just the blatantly sexual websites and media sources that are impacting the sexual health of society. In certain regions of Britain where Facebook is most popular, there has been a fourfold increase in incidents of syphilis, particularly in women. Researchers are finding that social media is being leveraged to arrange casual sex hookups, and safer sex practices are seldom being brought along on the dates.
Even sites dedicated to more serious relationships are questionable. eHarmony claims to be responsible for 236 member marriages each day. What they don't advertise is that one in three women will sleep with a man they are introduced to on the first date, and 80 per cent will not use protection.
Online dating sites are also worrisome because they rely solely on the word of the applicant. While some users stretch the truth in predictable ways (women claim to be 16 years younger and 38 lbs lighter on average, and men claim to be 13 years younger, 5” taller, and make $74,000 dollars more than they actually do), others are more insidious: one in 10 sex offenders uses online dating to meet people.
What has some people even more concerned is that it isn't just dissatisfied spouses and inquisitive teenagers who are trolling this side of the Internet. The word “porn” was the fourth most Googled term by the seven and under age bracket in 2009. When split by gender, there is a fairly even correlation in the top three search terms (YouTube, Google, and Facebook), there was a split thereafter, with boys fourth and fifth terms being “sex” and “porn,” and girls searching “Taylor Swift” and “sex.”
In the eight to 12 year-old bracket “porn” fell off the top 10 but was replaced in fourth place by “sex,” coming in just one spot up from “Club Penguin.” “Porn” returned to the list for the 13 to 18 age group in sixth place, but “sex” remained steady in fourth.
What these statistics can't tell us is whether the searches were meant to satisfy innocent curiosity, or purely physical interests. While some groups have sought to create educational hubs online, their success has been limited. There is a perpetual battle between progressive educators who want to provide as much information as possible, and conservatives who advocate abstinence and feel that any information is too much.
A ubiquitous success story is a site based around the PBS show The Education of Shelby Knox, where youths and adults can talk about realistic situations without having to reference themselves or their family members. Kivi Leroux Miller, president of Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com thinks the concept works because “it's not about ‘their kid' - because no parent wants to believe their kid would be the one having sex in the school bathroom.”
The idea of an Internet without porn is almost unthinkable for some, but the real concern is where exactly the line will fall between pornography and education, and how non-pornographic sites will deal with censoring members who are overtly sexual simply by virtue of being human.
But some people are thinking about using the technology for more than purely economic causes. Some people have things like moral fiber, modesty, and traditional values in mind.
They would like to ban pornography.
Aside from the intended consequences, there could be others: the sale of physical pornography (DVDs and magazines) would probably skyrocket as people who are used to having constant access would have to outsource their supply; poorly made amateur porn would decline as people would be forced to go through semi-reputable companies in order to expose themselves; and the concept of the “Porn Star” would resurge as the chaff is shaken off and recurring, bankable actors and actresses would regain visibility.
Plus wouldn't it be interesting if all the niche-market perverts actually had to socialize with each other in order to trade their personal libraries?
It might not be as far off as you think.
Recently Walmart bought out VUDU, an on-demand video company, and elected to block all pornographic material, even that which was already bought and paid for. Apple also recently purged its store, removing even the tamest of apps. The purge did not go off without a hitch, however. Some apps were restored after a few days, and others didn't make the chopping block. After the initial cut, a relatively unpopular app called Tubes! saw its sales spike to $10,000 simply because it was one of the very few “sexy” apps left.
The problem is that it isn't just the blatantly sexual websites and media sources that are impacting the sexual health of society. In certain regions of Britain where Facebook is most popular, there has been a fourfold increase in incidents of syphilis, particularly in women. Researchers are finding that social media is being leveraged to arrange casual sex hookups, and safer sex practices are seldom being brought along on the dates.
Even sites dedicated to more serious relationships are questionable. eHarmony claims to be responsible for 236 member marriages each day. What they don't advertise is that one in three women will sleep with a man they are introduced to on the first date, and 80 per cent will not use protection.
Online dating sites are also worrisome because they rely solely on the word of the applicant. While some users stretch the truth in predictable ways (women claim to be 16 years younger and 38 lbs lighter on average, and men claim to be 13 years younger, 5” taller, and make $74,000 dollars more than they actually do), others are more insidious: one in 10 sex offenders uses online dating to meet people.
What has some people even more concerned is that it isn't just dissatisfied spouses and inquisitive teenagers who are trolling this side of the Internet. The word “porn” was the fourth most Googled term by the seven and under age bracket in 2009. When split by gender, there is a fairly even correlation in the top three search terms (YouTube, Google, and Facebook), there was a split thereafter, with boys fourth and fifth terms being “sex” and “porn,” and girls searching “Taylor Swift” and “sex.”
In the eight to 12 year-old bracket “porn” fell off the top 10 but was replaced in fourth place by “sex,” coming in just one spot up from “Club Penguin.” “Porn” returned to the list for the 13 to 18 age group in sixth place, but “sex” remained steady in fourth.
What these statistics can't tell us is whether the searches were meant to satisfy innocent curiosity, or purely physical interests. While some groups have sought to create educational hubs online, their success has been limited. There is a perpetual battle between progressive educators who want to provide as much information as possible, and conservatives who advocate abstinence and feel that any information is too much.
A ubiquitous success story is a site based around the PBS show The Education of Shelby Knox, where youths and adults can talk about realistic situations without having to reference themselves or their family members. Kivi Leroux Miller, president of Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com thinks the concept works because “it's not about ‘their kid' - because no parent wants to believe their kid would be the one having sex in the school bathroom.”
The idea of an Internet without porn is almost unthinkable for some, but the real concern is where exactly the line will fall between pornography and education, and how non-pornographic sites will deal with censoring members who are overtly sexual simply by virtue of being human.
