Viewing entries tagged with 'pornography'
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Wed
Dec 7, '11
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.XXX Domain Names Go on Sale!
After years of rejecting its applications, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) decided to give the adult entertainment industry the .xxx top-level domain, a move that results in the establishment of a virtual red-light district on the Web. This week, the sale began.
Today, most web site names end in .com, .net, .org, .gov, or .edu. The implication of this proposed change is that an adult content / pornographic web site will have the option of using the .xxx domain name. At first glance, this would seem to make it easier for parents or parental controls software vendors to monitor and protect children and teens from objectionable sites.
In reality, this change would potentially make it very easy for a curious child to quickly get into trouble. I envision children getting immediate access to X-rated materials by innocently typing in almost any word with a .xxx name. Exposure to such images is not quickly forgotten or erased from a young memory.
Knowing how well-funded corrupt businesses operate, I expect pornographers to co-locate their content on existing .comdomains and also on the new .xxx domain, thus increasing the prevalence of pornography sites. Pornographers won’t likely voluntary give up their successful .com addresses to locate solely on the .xxx domain. As a result, pornography content will be more pervasive.
As the owner of a few reputable web sites, I have considered what will happen when .xxx domains go on sale and reputablecompanies are a bit slow to purchase their .xxx domain name to simply protect them. Our company will jump to buy www.netnanny.xxx to avoid the trouble a pornographer can wreak if they do any URL spoofing based on our brand name.
The other overriding challenge is that there is no real legal regulation, in practice. Indeed, Internet pornography is hardcore obscenity and it is illegal. But it is so ubiquitous, it is not usually prosecuted.
It’s not likely that Congress would be able to pass a law requiring pornographers to conform to the .xxx domain. And even if passed, such as law would be relatively unenforced in federal court, if the past is an indicator of the future. Historically, efforts by Congress to regulate smut on the Internet have not been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
In short, as .xxx domains go on sale, we will see an increase in the pervasiveness of pornography and its accessibility. Ironically, the Internet is used for so many good things too. -
Tue
Dec 6, '11
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Caught in a Trap?
I recently read about traps used to catch raccoons and monkeys. Both traps were similar in nature. A shiny or desirable object was placed in a container with an opening just small enough for the animal’s hand to slip through. Once the animal had secured the object in their paw, they found the opening would not allow them to remove it. Rather than release the object and go free, the animal would be easily caught by the hunter hours or days later.
I was intrigued with the simplicity of the trap. There were no jaws or swing doors, but instead, the animal was held hostage by their own psychological disposition. An association was made with people and the monkeys or raccoons. For many individuals, pornography has become that shiny or desirable object. I could not help but think how accurate the writer was in drawing this comparison.
Pornography is addictive in that it causes a powerful chemical reaction in a human brain. This reaction evokes desires and emotions that are found in physically healthy relationships. Individuals who are viewing pornography are like the monkey and raccoon, held by their inability to let go. At times it takes the assistance of another to understand that you can simply choose to let go and walk away.
I work for ContentWatch and all opinions expressed here are my own.
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Thu
Dec 1, '11
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Child Pornography - Serious and Disturbing
This week, Grant Smith, a professor from the University of Utah was arrested for viewing child pornography while on a flight from Salt Lake to Boston. A courageous passenger seated behind Mr. Smith took a photo of him allegedly watching child pornography on his laptop. The flight crew was notified and Boston police officers were waiting for Mr. Smith as he deplaned. He was detained, his computer and phone searched, and then arrested. It's important to note that possession of even one image of child pornography is a felony.
This brazen display of the professor's need to view pornography shows the power of the addiction.
Child pornography involves a very disturbing and dark subculture of Internet pornography. Child pornography is a fast-growing business and the content is becoming much more graphic and violent. Because of the severity of the penalty for possession, child pornographers typically swap and share images on peer-to-peer networks to avoid publicizing their addiction by paying on commercial pornography sites.
The most disturbing issue is that of those arrested for possession of child pornography, 40 percent had both sexually victimized children and were in possession of child pornography.
Of those arrested between 2000 and 2001, 83 percent had images involving children between the ages of 6 and 12, while 39 percent had images of children between the ages of 3 and 5, and quite sadly, 19% had images of infants and toddlers under the age of 3 yrs old. I can only imagine that the statistics are worse after ten years of continued devolution.
According to Mark Shurtleff, attorney general of Utah, of those arrested for possession of child pornography, most started out viewing adult pornography but gradually progressed to more hard core images as the addiction advanced. (Source: KPCW radio interview on 30 Nov. 2011 at 9 a.m.)
As parents, we need to be alert to the fact that sexual predators are online in search of prey. Children are the target and must be protected. Parental controls software is the best method a parent has in the fight against this sickening trend. Net Nanny Mobile will launch in January to help protect kids and teens using smartphones and iPods.
(Source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Child Pornography Possessors Arrested in Internet-Related Crimes: Findings from the National Juvenile Online Victimization Study, 2005).
I work for ContentWatch and all opinions expressed here are my own. -
Tue
Nov 29, '11
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Viewing Pornography is Wrong?
The Internet is a wonderful tool and vehicle to get you to almost anywhere you want to go. Places and things that were out of reach due to financial or physical limitations can now be attained with just the click of a mouse. Take pornography for an example. Before the late 80's, individuals that wanted to view scantily clad women or men, had to buy magazines or visit a special club. People can now turn on a computer and have a smorgasbord of options.
- Is there anything wrong with a married man or woman indulging in a few servings during the day?
- How does it affect one's attitude and view towards their spouse?
Using pornography to supplement a relationship can and will destroy it in the end. A spouse that is viewing pornographic material compares you to the images and practices that are portrayed. He or she may justify their actions, but these very actions will cloud their ability to participate in actual real love.
I work for ContentWatch and all opinions expressed here are my own.
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Thu
Jul 21, '11
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Pornography and Marriage: Not Just a Male Problem
A few weeks ago I was chatting with some friends. There were five of us. Of the five, three were divorced. Not only that, their stories were similar; the downfall of each had started with a pornography addiction. Because of this addiction other problems arose in each marriage most common being lying but verbal abuse was also very present in each situation.
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Thu
Jun 2, '11
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Four Reasons To Block Illegal File-sharing
About a decade ago, something new came online. It was called Napster and it allowed normal people to easily share files online. It's what is called Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing. One person shares a file and others that download that file share it too, making it easier and easier to find. And it's nearly impossible to tell who is actually sharing them. Today there are a number of Peer-to-Peer networks. Some businesses even use them to distribute files.
Unfortunately, so do people that are sharing porn, software, music, movies, and other files illegally. It's hard to stop because there isn't just one computer that law enforcement needs to shut down- it's all over the world. And its doubly difficult to stop since it's so difficult to tell who is sharing it.
Net Nanny can block these Peer-to-Peer downloads to your computer. Here are four reasons why you should enable that functionality:- Pornography and Other Objectionable Material- Trying to fly under the radar, many people search for and share pornography via Peer-to-Peer networks. They count on the anonymity P2P networks provide to continue their addiction.
- Malware- It's an established fact that a large portion of files shared this way are actually malware that will take over your computer if you run them. Sometimes, hackers will just play havoc with your computer. Other times they will quietly start using your computer to help hack into other computers or engage in other illegal activities online. This type of attack can work whether you're using Windows, Mac OS X, or any other operating system.
- Lawsuits- If you download software, music, or movies that you don't own, you open yourself up to lawsuits from the companies that own them. And when I say you, I mean anyone using your Internet connection. The MPAA, RIAA, BSA and others are extremely active in protecting their content. Do a search for RIAA + lawsuit and you'll see how active they are. Regardless of how you feel about whether they ought to, they can and do.
- Simple Honesty- Whether you believe in the moral need to be honest or simply appreciate honesty in those around you, most of us don't go around taking things that don't belong to us. If you own a business, you wouldn't want customers stealing your products or services rather than paying for them. And if you have a family, you want them to do well in life- not make it a habit to steal. Taking music, movies, or software via Peer-to-Peer file-sharing is easy and in many ways anonymous. But just because the theft is easy doesn't make it right.
Protect your home and business from the consequences of illegal file-sharing today. In Windows, go to the Net Nanny Admin Tools, choose Additional settings under Filtering, and make sure 'Allow Access to Peer-to-Peer' is unchecked. Click 'OK' to save your settings. In Net Nanny for Mac, on the main screen click 'Others' on the far right of the toolbar and make sure 'Block peer-to-peer' is checked.
One more way we're watching out for you!
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Tue
Mar 10, '09
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Parents Need Net Nanny Too
I’m not a doctor, a psychiatrist, a counselor or even a religious leader, but I’ve witnessed firsthand how excess and addiction can break families apart and ruin relationships. I’m not talking specifically about pornography, but anything that may become addictive-- gambling, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, gaming, and even shopping.
How does this relate to Net Nanny? Well, the Internet has become an invaluable source of unlimited information and knowledge; unfortunately for some, it has also augmented the use and availability of unwanted or addictive media. Here are some creative ways other customers have used Net Nanny to break these bad habits:
The Accountability Buddy: Install Net Nanny on your computer and have a friend, pastor, counselor, or family member change the password. Set up email notifications so they know when you visit an inappropriate website and be sure to enable remote reporting so they can regularly view your web activity. Your accountability buddy will never have to touch your computer because they can manage your settings from anywhere in the world with Net Nanny’s Remote Administration (http://manage.netnanny.com).
Split the Password: This one’s great for friends and couples. When installing Net Nanny, have one person enter the first half of the password and the second person enter the second half of the password; now neither of you can access Net Nanny without the other person. Remember, don’t let them see you type and don’t make it obvious to guess.
Also, Net Nanny has been working closely with Candeo, a company dedicated to fight pornography addiction. For more about Candeo click here (http://www.candeocan.com).
If you have any other suggestions or ideas please log in and leave a comment below.
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