Reason Magazine’s Katherine Mangu-Ward and Safety101.org’s Cris Clapp Logan discuss the UK’s plan to block all internet porn on RT’s Alyona Show.
Gotta love the characterization by Cris Clapp Logan (at 1:45) that porn is a “mental health issue”. Ms Mangu-Ward does a nice job of pointing out that “voluntary” compliance is ensured by threats of legislation to make it mandatory.
This video talks about the apparent requirement that internet users specify precisely which adult sites they want access to rather than just being able to turn the blocking completely on or off. If that is indeed the case, that means the government will have a data base that lists every porn someone visits. If that doesn’t generate a huge public uproar, then the UK is a completely lost cause in the fight for internet freedom.
The question is asked whether something like this could find its way to the U.S. Well, think about it. We’re banning toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Not only could this type of blocking be introduced to the U.S., but it would probably also block violence, smoking, profanity, drug use, drinking, etc. The possibilities are endless.
By the way, internetsafety101.org is better known as Enough is Enough which was started by Donna Rice Hughes, famous for her adulterous affair in 1984 with front running presidential candidate Gary Hart and now less famous for her moral crusade against pornography.
I mean this is just ridiculous.Where is the proof that porn harms children,let alone adults?HOw is this a mental health issue?
Also,this means a person will never be able to visit many websites unless they know the name of the website already.
An idea or opinion cannot harm anyone by itself,what harms is how people take it.
This basically opens the door for all kinds of government control over us.
I think they are banking on the public’s assumption that porn is bad for children. If they can get enough popular support, they don’t need proof.
You are right.To get public support all you have to do is yell “this is to protect the children”.There is no need for any reasoning or proof.
People are even afraid to say anything against this irrationality.Because they will get accused if they try to protect freedom of speech.This new formula works even better than the “protect the artist” lie.
I am just keeping my fingers crossed that this law wont pass,that internet will not get controlled.I think once it gets accepted in UK,it will be very hard to stop in other countries.I am just hoping,perhaps over-optimistically,that before this disease spreads globally, people will begin to protest and stop this .I hope more websites like yours will pop up and create alertness about the dangers. I am also banking on internet hacker groups such as “Anonymous” to put some resistance.Have you heard about Anonymous?
I’m aware of the DDoS attacks being launched by Anonymous in support of Wikileaks and Julian Assange. I think the characterization of their actions as civil disobedience is novel and I think they could actually garner public support under some circumstances, but I think it’s imperative for Assange not to be connected to them. Anonymous is, by their own admission, not very organized which means they are unpredictable. I would be very careful about linking my fate to them.
A problem is that everyone want “people” to fight back, but nobody wants to do anything themselves. When I tried to organize a demonstration against the American Psychological Association at the International Book Fair inFrankfurt, I got zero response. A discission about my deletion by Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/groups/thekidsareallright/discuss/72157625401148563/ is likewise getting nearly zero response. We have to act ourselves, not hope that Somebody Else will act.
@Dave
You are right, Assange should not get connected with Anonymous. But as much as I know,Anonymous is not only about Assange .They also made another DDoS attack in support of porn called “titstorm” or something.Anyway, you are right,we can’t trust them too much.
@Frank
I think part of the reason for that is that some people are scared.We live in a society which teaches us that it is far more important to be “hard on crime” even if it costs innocent lives and personal freedom.If you disagree,then you will get labeled as a criminal yourself.Another reason is that most people are very suggestible and act on private emotions rather than rationality.I want to do something myself too,but currently my skill level is too low to start up any revolution.I think the best I can do right now is to support you guys verbally on the internet.
How much skill does it take to come to a demonstration and hold up a sign that says “STOP THE HYSTERIA” or “APA GO HOME”? How much skill does a person need to send a message to Flickr.com and ask: “Why was Girl Becomes Woman deleted? What’s wrong with little girls not wearing tops?”
I understand that the world is a very dangerous place, and some parts of the world are much more dangerous than others. How long do we have to keep giving each other pep talks until we get enough courage to plan and organize political action? The minority whose hobby is witch hunting need to learn that the rest of the world is sick and tired of their ridiculous spectacle.
Well I have no problems with coming to a demonstration that’s going on nearby.And I have already said that I have no problem with giving verbal support .In this December alone,I have posted “STOP THE HYSTERIA” in at least a dozen different websites.The reason I didn’t go to Flickr is because I don’t have an account there and posting there requires an account.If I ever register there I will surely support your account.
The thing is,when it comes to making a voice heard,one of the thing that matters a lot is the sheer number of people joining forces.The reason why I was whining about “people fighting back” is because I painfully realized that we – who want to seriously stop the hysteria- are in the minority.And if we want to stop this hysteria,the first step is to make more people aware of the damage that this hysteria is causing so that they want to stop it too.I am annoyed by the fact that so many people simply don’t seem to get the immense amount of damage the hysteria is causing.