UK Online pornography to be blocked by default

[Second Summer]

If this worked 100% of the time (doubtful in this world, but let's say, hypothetically), then you could let your kids access the internet and never see any bit of porn.

Of course, they'll still have access to plenty of non-porn sites of dubious quality. Do you really want your teenager browsing pro-anorexia sites? Or how about sites that objectify one gender or another, such as pickup artist sites and sugar daddy sites? What about sites detailing how one race or culture is inferior to another?

Maybe the best thing to do is to pay attention to what your children are accessing online.

I understand not wanting your kids to be exposed to porn. It's probably not healthy for them. But there's a lot of things not healthy for children, and a blanket censorship ban on porn doesn't fix the other problematic websites your children can visit (nor does it prevent your child from seeing dubious content offline). I think having a two-way dialog with your child, and paying attention to what they are doing, is a far better solution.

We can't (and shouldn't) censor everything that anyone might think undesirable, but porn is one relatively easily identifiable area that has clear negative effects when "consumed" by the wrong people, such as children. And it's not just about the risk of my children being directly exposed to it, but the much higher risk that other people's children will be exposed to it, and develop unhealthy attitudes and behaviours that will ultimately lead to negative consequences for my children. It's the pornofication of society that I would like to stop, and this opt-in policy seems like a good measure to that end.

(Edit: This discussion seems similar to the one we had a while back about feminism and stripping(?). Some of us prefer to focus only on the individual, while others prefer to look at the bigger picture. Just saying.)

 

[Mischief]

But it's not cool to think that porn might be A Good Thing.

 

[Moll Flanders]

I imagine most teens and even younger kids probably have more IT knowledge than their parents and so would find a way to bypass the filters or just carry on swapping porn images with their school friends on their phones, which I think probably is the main way young people access porn.

 

[Second Summer]

I imagine most teens and even younger kids probably have more IT knowledge than their parents and so would find a way to bypass the filters

That seems like an argument for ISP filters then. That way there is an extra measure in place that doesn't depend on the parents and their lacking IT skills.

or just carry on swapping porn images with their school friends on their phones, which I think probably is the main way young people access porn.

At least that way it will be harder to access big volumes of such images and video than it is on a proper computer. And a phone might be less challenging technology for the parents to monitor than a computer. Also, Internet access on phones will of course be subject to the same opt-in policy.

 

[Moll Flanders]

That seems like an argument for ISP filters then. That way there is an extra measure in place that doesn't depend on the parents and their lacking IT skills.

At least that way it will be harder to access big volumes of such images and video than it is on a proper computer. And a phone might be less challenging technology for the parents to monitor than a computer. Also, Internet access on phones will of course be subject to the same opt-in policy.

Before this post I must say I don't know that much about computers or online porn!

The filters are there to be used by responsible parents already so why would there need to be a restriction on porn on all households, especially those without any children? I have the filters on because I choose to but I am entitled to watch legal porn all day if I wanted to. Also I thought that phones can't be checked in the same way as computers and that kids/teens can access porn if it is sent to them and parents wouldn't be able to check the content? Why can't parents just talk to and educate their own children about porn?

 

[das_nut]

It's the pornofication of society that I would like to stop, and this opt-in policy seems like a good measure to that end.

If you want to stop the pornofication of society, I'd start by burning the magazine stands by the checkout.

Hey, guess what, in this issue Cosmo is promising you the best sex ever/the best new sexual technique/ways to drive your man wild/...

 

[Pirate]

The filters are there to be used by responsible parents already so why would there need to be a restriction on porn on all households, especially those without any children? I have the filters on because I choose to but I am entitled to watch legal porn all day if I wanted to. Also I thought that phones can't be checked in the same way as computers and that kids/teens can access porn if it is sent to them and parents wouldn't be able to check the content? Why can't parents just talk to and educate their own children about porn?

My sister had a fault on an old phone where it thought *everything* on the internet was porn, it kept saying "Your network has blocked this adult content" or similar. She had to call T-Mobile in the end and basically get them to enable porn. This was a few years ago, but I guess they must have something similar still.

I'd rather see it as an opt in filter. Like if parents dont want any porn then they can call the ISP. However, what about older kids or parents? Hmm. I guess they could make it computer specific (ie set to MAC address) or set a password/pin. And a kid if is smart enough to get around that, then they probably deserve the porn.

 

[Clueless Git]

If you want to stop the pornofication of society, I'd start by burning the magazine stands by the checkout.

Or make it illegal for any one to be featured in porn if their under the age of 89.

 

[Amy SF]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/159/...o-push-through-internet-censorship-in-the-uk/

 

[Muggle]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/159/...o-push-through-internet-censorship-in-the-uk/

No point in that petition. They'll just ignore it.

Petitions on the government's petition website will be more effective. " You can create an e-petition about anything that the government is responsible for and if it gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons. "

Just looking now and here we go: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/51746

Of course, they're still going to ignore it even if it gets over 100,000 but oh well.

 

[Moll Flanders]

BBC News - Wikipedia founder brands PM's porn filters plan 'ridiculous'

 

[Forster]

heh,

http://betabeat.com/2013/07/genius-hacker-invents-firewall-that-blocks-all-non-porn-sites/

 

[Envy]

There are some folks that want to forbid porn in Sweden.

They are pretty much on the fringe however, so it's no big risk of that happening.

 

[peacefulveglady]

I am on the fence on this , when I do go look into porn, Its not professional and we are careful to view those that are over 18 years of age however, I do support the opt in to choose if you want it into your house. I also want to put a heads up that both firefox and google chrome has a ad on feature that you can have a white list only on that. You only put what is alot and allowed to search. I was thinking this would be a great way too have your children or anyones children go on this and don't have to be expose to adult content.

 

[das_nut]

I was thinking this would be a great way too have your children or anyones children go on this and don't have to be expose to adult content.

That makes the assumption that adult content and porn is the same.

 

[peacefulveglady]

That makes the assumption that adult content and porn is the same.

I mean those that don't want the content I know its the same..

 

[das_nut]

I mean those that don't want the content I know its the same..

Oh? I can think of plenty of adult content that isn't porn.

 

[Blobbenstein]

I think this is why they don't seem to have the internet(or even regular TV) on Star Trek.....it will all have been firewalled to oblivion by then....quite prophetic.

 

[Blobbenstein]

 

[das_nut]

David Cameron likes the porn filtering system that has Chinese military ties.