UK's New Internet-Porn-Filter-Measure

[3113]

From here:

David Cameron has ordered tough new controls on web pornography to protect children, it has been reported.The new measures will mean that in future anyone buying a new computer or signing up with a new internet service provider (ISP) will be asked, when they log on for the first time, whether they have children. If the answer is "yes", the parent will be taken through the process of installing anti-pornography filters, as well as a series of questions on how stringent they wish the restrictions to be, according to a newspaper.

The options include allowing parents to impose timed access limits on explicit material, or preventing children from viewing social networking sites such as Facebook during particular hours of the day. Ministers will also tell ISPs to impose "appropriate measures" to make sure that those setting the controls are over 18, according to the Daily Mail.

They will also be told to prompt existing customers to install the technology to block pornography.

Getting a computer is going to be like getting cigarettes or liquor in the U.S. Kids will be handing random, over-18 adults a wad of bills and asking "Will you buy me a computer?" So they can then sign up and say, "I haven't any kids..." and get porn.

 

[MaxSebastian]

Bear in mind the Daily Mail is the UK's equivalent of Fox News - scaring its readers and spinning the truths.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Even from your short quote, I see a whole lot of choice going on there. "How stringent they wish it to be," etc.

 

[electric1]

Even from your short quote, I see a whole lot of choice going on there. "How stringent they wish it to be," etc.

Sure. Just like a country that allows wife-beating gives husbands a whole lot of choice.

Giving parents the choice to dictate their children's use of Facebook, etc. is not honoring choices for those living with their parents, nor honoring the choices of consumers who don't want to pay for the development of this filtering "option."

 

[Stella_Omega]

Your argument needs refinement.

Like, a whole lot.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Sure. Just like a country that allows wife-beating gives husbands a whole lot of choice.

Giving parents the choice to dictate their children's use of Facebook, etc. is not honoring choices for those living with their parents, nor honoring the choices of consumers who don't want to pay for the development of this filtering "option."

We do not give children free choice about all aspects of their lives. That's pretty much what being a child means. Whether it's smoking, drinking, porn, firearms going to school, or where to live, adults make those decisions (though good parents will certainly take the kid's wishes into consideration). Sometimes it's the state; in this case, it's still the parents deciding how much freedom to allow their kid.

It's not like this law actually changes the child's rights; parents in the UK (and most other places) already had the authority to install filtering if they so chose.

I have doubts about whether it's a good idea; IME kids are pretty good at circumventing this sort of thing, and building effective filterware is HARD. I'd prefer to deal with it by negotiation. But it's not an infringement on their rights.

Once you reach 18... well, if you're living with your parents and using their net connection, you STILL have to do it on their terms,

 

[Handley_Page]

Bear in mind the Daily Mail is the UK's equivalent of Fox News - scaring its readers and spinning the truths.

Except that was from the Telegraph. . . .

 

[EbonyFire77]

What Bramble said. Half the time I have to wonder where parents are with these issues. What, do we assume now that most parents are so grossly neglectful, THEY can't be the ones to install porn-filters and security settings on their own computers in their homes? While they're at it, how about they keep their porn collection out of prying eyes and then not rail against the injustices of the world.

 

[Stella_Omega]

What Bramble said. Half the time I have to wonder where parents are with these issues. What, do we assume now that most parents are so grossly neglectful, THEY can't be the ones to install porn-filters and security settings on their own computers in their homes?

It's not actually that easy to install porn filters on a computer that, just maybe, you don't know so much about in the first place.

While they're at it, how about they keep their porn collection out of prying eyes and then not rail against the injustices of the world.

what does that have to do with internet filters?

 

[3113]

Well, what I wonder about is exactly how far the filters go. Are all porn sites explicitly clear that's what they are? What about the ones hiding what they are? And if the porn filter cuts out some things, might it not cut out others? Like that issue they had back when with filters that prevented people from going to sites discussing breast cancer because it had the word "breast" in it.

Are the filters better? The designation of porn sites more evident? What about sex education sites?

 

[EbonyFire77]

It's not actually that easy to install porn filters on a computer that, just maybe, you don't know so much about in the first place.
what does that have to do with internet filters?

A lot of people have a tendency to mix up simple issues and then blame society for it. I was pointing out the tendency to make logical leaps which don't flow well.

If porn filters aren't that easy to install, then parents should restrict internet access. No computers in the bedrooms, no internet on phones, etc. They have the ability to control what goes on under their own roof. Implementing more laws won't change the authority they already had.

 

[SevenSquared]

Except that was from the Telegraph. . . .

It seems to be the Daily Telegraph reporting on a story that they read in the Daily Mail. Maybe the Mail got it from the Sun, who read it online on the Daily Mash.

I'm skeptical about this story until I learn something more concrete.

 

[Handley_Page]

The problem as I see it is that those who really do need this kind of filtering may not quite be aware of how to do it,
or care why they need to (they just don't care about it).

 

[loquere]

I don't see the bad in it's not like all the computers are being neutered. Think about the bullying and deaths this will prevent.

 

[electric1]

I don't see the bad in it's not like all the computers are being neutered. Think about the bullying and deaths this will prevent.

When it comes to parents bullying their children, this won't prevent bullying; it will increase it. When it comes to other kinds of bullying, I don't see how this will impact the bullying one way or the other.