Where is the American voice on this issue?


23 November 2010

MP calls for pornography 'opt-in' to protect children

Claire Perry Claire Perry says web firms need to be brought in line with TV stations and newsagents

Internet providers should create an "opt-in" system to prevent children gaining access to pornography, a Conservative MP has said.

Claire Perry wants age-checks to be attached to all such material to reduce exposure to it.

The mother-of-three, who has prompted a Commons debate on the issue, said internet firms should "share the responsibility" of protecting children.

A study suggests one in three under-10s has seen pornography on the web.

Four in every five children aged 14 to 16 admitted regularly accessing explicit photographs and footage on their home computers, according to Psychologies magazine.

MPs will discuss whether to bring in measures to increase protection for those under the age of 18.

Ms Perry, who represents Devizes, in Wiltshire, said: "As a mother with three children I know how difficult it is to keep children from seeing inappropriate material on the internet.

"We already successfully regulate British TV channels, cinema screens, High Street hoardings and newsagent shelves to stop children seeing inappropriate images and mobile phone companies are able to restrict access to adult material so why should the internet be any different?"

Ms Perry added: "British internet service providers should share the responsibility to keep our children safe so I am calling for ISPs to offer an 'opt-in' system that uses age verification to access pornographic material."

www.bbcnews.com

A good thought and I agree wholeheartedly.

But how do you keep tech-savvy kids from getting around such "opt-in" procedures?

I had to have my children program the "V" chip on the TV because they knew more about it than I did.

Bob

Aint that the truth!!! LOL!

I believe they (in England) now debating government control. I am all for that. Does anyone on the forum know if anyone even cares about this issue in the U.S.? The statistics of children seeing pornographic images is very frightening. The Fathers tell us how important purity of the senses are, and I dread to think that children today are not allowed the purity and innocence of their precious years because of this demonic evil.
Where will it end?!?

Lord have mercy.

Alice,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I share your concern, not just for children but for us adults as well. The content surely must contribute to the outbreak of rape, incest and child molestation. Just listen to teenagers talk of porn as being "cool."

The chances of the US government placing any restrictions is about nil. Any restriction would have to start with grassroots efforts and boycotts of parent companies (which are well kept secrets.) Their exposure surely would be embarassing and may shame them into dropping the sites.

Fr Deacon Paul

Fr. Deacon Paul:

Christ is in our midst!!

I agree that the chances are "nil," but for a different reason. The big bogeyman in this country is "censorship." As soon as anyone tries to rein in any type of speech or conduct, that word is used to beat back the effort, even when it is in the name of the good of society. It's funny that when I go to business and fraternal meetings, the next to last thing on the agenda is "remarks for the good of the order," but we can't seem to rein in things that are not for the good of society.

Then we go back to the culture wars. the effort to do away with the distinctions of "good" and "harmful" are wrapped up in this. There are those who are so "soul-burnt"--for lack of a better term--that they want to define porn as a "good" because it diverts people from taking direct action. And even when it's becoming more apparent that this is often the trigger for those who begin with it, that argument is still made. I remember well a speech made when I was in university to this effect. A guy who had trouble getting dates made the argument that this was his outlet and that it and prostitution should be legal. Well, here we are some forty years later and it seems to have settled into the culture as a whole. So now we have kids thinking that this is "cool."

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.

Bob

"Freedom" and "censorship" are the reasons that the federal government won't lift a finger.
Yet, they promote censorship when one uses the words "homosexual" (nothing gay about it) or "sodomy."

In the words of a Moody Blues song...."Isn't Life Strange."

First, you let the government decide what is pornographic, and block it.

Then, you let the government decide what is "terrorism", and block it.

Then, you let the government decide what is "hateful", and block it.

Then, somebody says that Christianity is hateful.

And we've let the government block it.

Personally, I'd rather parents made these decisions. Did Jesus ever preach that Rome should be doing the parenting for us? Did he argue that prostitutes be outlawed, or did he eat dinner with them?

Yes, there is truth in this.....but supposedly we ARE the government. Unfortunately those with the richest lobbies and the appointed judicial branch have replaced citizen voters.

Our American Constitution is only a piece of paper in the National Archive. Our representatives have broken their oath to uphold the Constitution so often that the Constitution has become secondary.

Father Deacon Paul:

Christ is in our midst!!

We're on the same page. Is this the Twilight Zone" we live in or what?

Freedom is not "license," but the definition hasn't permeated the lexicon of the politically correct people who control the media, the courts, and the educational system. So we'll just have to continue to speak the truth in love and persevere.

As I said once before when this issue came up, my spouse is not a piece of meat and the gift of sex in marriage demands that I respect her, my vows, and myself.

Bob

Ahhh, RESPECT. I'm afraid the word respect isn't very significant anymore.....respect for human life, human rights, for labor, for capital,for property, for God's creation, for marriage, and yes, for public servants.

I agree with this.

Would you then give these same people the power to decide what parts of the internet should be made accessible and which parts should not be?

I shudder at the thought.

If the man next door wants to look at pornography on the internet, let him look at it. That is between he and our Lord.

Again, Christ did not give us the example of petitioning Rome to bend its laws to fit the morality that He taught. He preached it in love directly to us all to follow Him freely without coercion. Let us follow that example, and rather than legislating what we believe to be best for others, lest they in turn legislate what they believe to be best for us.

In the 30's Europe said much the same about Hitler's persecution of the Jews and Stalin's atrocities.
Did not Christ say "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." Luke 17:1-3

Are we to spread the Good News, but be silent? Is not the souls of those who spread smut equal to ours? Are we resigned to only caring about ourselves and afraid that we will offend by defending the family?

Is not the human right to raise children as we deem right not being attacked? If a child abuser moves next door are we to be unconcerned? Is not one's teenage daughter endangered by oversexed men who think that girls are just begging to be raped, as shown in this pornography?

These "cool" porno movies encourage unrestrained sex causing unwanted pregnancies...that result in the killing of innocent unborn baby boys and girls. Is this okay because our courts say so...and our Congress and President are too timid to "offend."

I suggest that everyone read the Mahattan Declaration

If you want to collapse from shock without the need for mechanical aids, go to Holland (change planes or something) and glance quickly at the magazines and/or "reading material" on public display for purchase. I couldn't believe my eyes, and simply bought some Dutch chocolates (delicious) and the International Herald-Tribune.

Fr. Serge

Paul B, none of that addressed anything I said.