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David Cameron 'Orders New Curbs On Internet Porn'

First time accepted submitter fustakrakich writes with news reported in The Telegraph of new anti-pornography regulations ordered by UK Prime Minister David Cameron: "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."

37 of 345 comments (clear)

  1. Sorry kids... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm afraid that your first sexual experiences will have to be with a trusted friend, family member, or respected community authority figure, rather than the internet...

    1. Re:Sorry kids... by PlusFiveTroll · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Got to love the U.K. 'You viewed porn on your computer?! OMG You are a child molester! GAOL 4 U." Don't worry though, the religious right here in the U.S. desires Taliban like laws to the same effect.

      https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-sunny-side-of-smut is a decent summary of a few studies that pretty much say 'What internet porn problem?'

      If you google 'effects of porn on children' you'll get tons of results saying the terrible scary things that will happen, but most made on actual studies read more like this http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov07/webporn.aspx .

      So it seems that all this hand waving by Cameron is about getting reelected and society control.

    2. Re:Sorry kids... by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 3, Funny

      I'm afraid that your first sexual experiences will have to be with a trusted friend, family member, or respected community authority figure, rather than the internet...

      Well a Catholic priest is the traditional authority figure to fill this role.

      In Britain it's been Jimmy Saville and the BBC.

      --
      "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
    3. Re:Sorry kids... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nah, this has nothing much to do with porn. It is step one in introducing an "Internet Drivers License". Anonymity is a bitch, you see.

      Captcha: terrors

    4. Re:Sorry kids... by Stan92057 · · Score: 3, Funny

      My first sexual experience was with a magazine called Playboy. For kids of this age it will be a misspelled word that will give them there first experience.

      --
      Jack of all trades,master of none
    5. Re:Sorry kids... by letherial · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The internet changed EVERYTHING. You don't see it because you grew up with it, but those of us who didn't know the challenges of a teen back then. Putting all the run to the library to do a school report aside; finding a titty mag was better then finding gold. Now you kids just get to type in anything in Google and its tits and ass for life.

      Its great your generation got access to such information, not just porn but all around the massive amount of information you have available to you, the only thing i request is that you respect what you have, because you have no idea what its like without it. Also in 30 years when i say get off my lawn, get off my fucking lawn.

    6. Re:Sorry kids... by Larryish · · Score: 4, Funny

      I called Mr. Cameron on the telephone and asked what was behind it all.

      Mr. Cameron says the new curbs are actually a safety measure to keep all that Internet traffic from running over the cyber-street-walkers.

      Safety first, I always say!

    7. Re:Sorry kids... by anubi · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Ok... now that you guys are talking about how you us of the older generation handled this problem... let it be known that kids will be kids regardless of the environment.

      In my day, fifty years ago, we had this old discarded washing machine in a vacant lot. Lots of trees, so it was well secluded. We kept our tittie mags in it. Old stained tittie mags. No telling what filth was on them, but we didn't give a damn. All of us knew about the washing machine, as at least it would keep our tittie mags out of the weather. What risks did we take as horny teens out in a secluded area away from anyone taking care of natural drives - "child predators" could have had a field day seeding our washing machine with new porn just to watch us do what we did when we saw it. Someone was always leaving new tittie mags in, and I would too if I found one. I sure as hell could not bring it home!

      If there was one thing the parents seemed to tolerate, it was the tittie mags receiving the brunt of the horny guy's attention, not their daughters.

      Today's parents might breathe a sigh of relief knowing those natural urges are being satisfied in their private home, not in a secluded back alley, covered in the remains of who knows who's "stuff".

      Another thing... kids aren't the only ones who do what someone else doesn't want them to do. Remember "prohibition"? Its a helluva lot easier to pass a law than it is to enforce it. Especially if it goes against natural drives.

      I think there is a lot of wisdom is looking the other way when certain things happen. Is anyone getting hurt? If this is not coming out of anyone else's hide, then I feel its best to ignore it. Its just an itch that needs scratching. No big deal.

      If you succeed in removing the natural sexual drives from your young'uns, you can look forward to a future with no grandchildren. Count your blessings.

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]

    8. Re:Sorry kids... by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Hell before the Internet there was a family member's dirty VCR tapes you sneak a peak at and before that there was the dirty mags, heel you go back to the first caves humans lived in and they find smut.

      So I just don't get the "ZOMFG little Timmy might see a titty!" bullshit, just let Timmy know that the porn is just as fake as every other film and quit having a damned fit already

      I'll never forget what Joe Bob Briggs said about America, I bet it applies to the UK too "America: Where you can't show a titty unless there is a knife in it". Personally if it came down to my teen boy watching a porno, preferably one of the educational ones like the Nina Hartley great sex, but hell any porno, even that Avengers spoof where they painted Chyna green, or watching torture porn like Hostel? I'd hand him a bag of popcorn and say "Try not to choke on the popcorn when you see the She Hulk, kinda hard to paint everything lime green ya know"

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    9. Re:Sorry kids... by snspdaarf · · Score: 3, Funny

      In fairness, the nation had been wondering who'd take up the "think of the children" mantle now Sir Jimmy Savile is no longer with us.

      Gary Glitter?

      --
      Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
  2. What happens.. non standard OS? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What if you are taking a connection solely for use with Cell phones over wifi for example?
      OR some weirdo config of Arch Linux?

    1. Re:What happens.. non standard OS? by ifiwereasculptor · · Score: 4, Funny

      Linux is a tool for child porn! Ban it!

      Barring that, it would be just loads of fun. In a world where I can't even buy an airline ticket without having to fire up IE and the so-called "support" of pretty much all companies get throughly confused when I say I don't have Windows, It'd be great to say "sure, take me through the legally required steps of securing my computer against evil, evil porn. By the way, I use OpenBSD. Go."

    2. Re:What happens.. non standard OS? by Kjella · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You'll laugh until the steps are:
      1. Wipe OpenBSD
      2. Install Windows
      3. Install this government-mandated software

      It was one of the nastier suggestions for use of Trusted Computing and Remote Attestation - if your computer can't provide a valid signature saying it's running a trusted, up to date OS with antivirus etc. then you wouldn't get to connect to the Internet. Then again, if ARM takes over it looks like we can kiss the idea of "alternative OS" good-bye as Apple, Microsoft and most Android handsets are locked to one OS to begin with...

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  3. This Will Certainly Work by retroworks · · Score: 5, Funny

    Finally, internet pornography will be thwarted, and David Cameron will go down in history.

    --
    Gently reply
    1. Re:This Will Certainly Work by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

      and David Cameron will go down

      But we won't be able to see the video.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  4. A new study on statistics by KBentley57 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I doub't it would have much effect. You cannot stop human nature. Besides the view that sex is "bad, dirty, evil..ect", I'm going to throw a broad sweeping generalization that most men in a household take care of the tech stuff anyways, and will answer the question with a "no" and go on about their business, or answer "yes" and set the limits to off.

    1. Re:A new study on statistics by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well every attempt to filter the internet so far has failed, even in countries that have constructed vast network censorship infrastructure and thrown vast resources at the problem. Since the British government will just expect the ISPs to do it and they will want to spend as little money as possible the filters will inevitably be useless.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  5. Religion is much worse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Why aren't government officials trying to keep kids from being exposed to something so dangerous as religion instead?

    1. Re:Religion is much worse by MillerHighLife21 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Because religion isn't dangerous. Crazy people that use religion as an excuse for their actions are dangerous. If anything, we need more Christians that are actually Christians in this country. The kind that understand "judge not lest ye be judged" means something. The kind that understand gossip and gluttony are on the same level as sodomy in the Bible meaning a fat guy has no business being critical of somebody who is gay.

      Christians SHOULD be people that everybody on earth is happy to see because we are supposed to strive to be humble, helpful, loving, charitable and self controlled. Instead there is a large group of people in this country that have never even read the Bible and wish to try to legislate a person's character.

      If more Christians focused on acting like Christians they'd be setting an example that others would respect rather than becoming some imaginary force that is trying to control people's lives. If somebody locks you in a box where you can't do anything wrong, it doesn't make you a better person. You have to choose it. The Bible is playbook to being a better person (New Testament) but it's so often twisted in public that most people have no clue what it actually says about anything.

      --
      "Don't teach a man to fish, feed yourself. He's a grown man. Fishing's not that hard." - Ron Swanson
    2. Re:Religion is much worse by Cruciform · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Religion indoctrinates people into accepting things without proof, to forego critical thinking for statements from "authority".
      The new testament is just fine with saying women are not equal to men, and it justifies such claims with an imaginary force.

    3. Re:Religion is much worse by artor3 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What you mean is that all families should be forced to be atheist, because you're an atheist. That would, after all, be the effect of banning exposure of religion to children, and your goal is clearly to make more atheists. You are advocating an end to freedom of thought -- forcing your personal beliefs on everyone.

      It really is amazing how many internet-atheists (not to be confused with the majority of quite reasonable atheists) are exactly as bad in the exact same ways as the religious people they hate so much.

  6. To get around it by epp_b · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "No, I don't have any kids."

    At least until it becomes illegal to answer untruthfully.

  7. Just porn? by symes · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't mind this - I think a lot of people who buy computers are not particularly, shall we say, well versed in protecting themselves. If this could also be bundled with some firm general advice it might help. One of my kids, visiting their grandparents, managed to conjure up some pretty sordid images of bestiality in no time by just googling one of her hobbies, horse riding. It was a bit of a shock for all concerned. No harm done, as far as I can tell (I wasn't there). I am however fairly sure her grandparents would have preferred that this had not happened and were able to take steps to prevent it from happening. At the moment, a lot of people are exposed to the internet in it's raw form and this isn't necessarily something that is healthy - giving people the choice of restricting their browsing freedom might be welcomed.

    1. Re:Just porn? by kheldan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      See, here's the problem with that: Net-nanny software doesn't work for several reasons. Desired content gets inadvertently blocked. Undesired content manages to get through. Whitelists and blacklists, when managed by third parties (especially governments) end up reflecting someone's agenda, rather than the actual intent (i.e. it'll eventually end up being used as a tool for censorship instead of a tool for protecting children). Your best way of protecting your children from internet content you don't want them seeing? Monitor them personally; sit there with them when they're using the internet. If you don't have time or wherewithall to do that, then perhaps you should either tell them "no internet" or re-evaluate your priorities in life.
      Remember: when you vote away your right to choose, you usually don't get to vote to take it back again.

      --
      Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
  8. As a father by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really really hope my kids rather watch porn than all the violent entertainment which for whatever twisted reason seems to be OK accoriding to society.

    I simply don't undertand how consentual sex could possibly do more harm than violence.

    The best advice about porn that I got as an adolescent was really simple: Watch all the porn you want, don't just confuse it with real life. (99% of all porn is rather unrealistic fantasy, after all.)

    --
    .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
  9. Re:Pornography addiction is harmful by PlusFiveTroll · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Well, Well, porn is bad because it has to be, my leaders told me so.

    In the meantime, can anyone link any actual scientific studies showing this is the case. Almost everything that I've read so far is 'not enough data for conclusion' or 'other inputs from your environment have a much stronger effect'.

  10. Just kids? by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm actually surprised that it just asks for kids. Given their established record I would have thought the question should really be "Do you have any kids or MPs in the house?".

    1. Re:Just kids? by ifiwereasculptor · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm surprised it's just a question. You can just lie and be done with it. A simple "no" should be enough, but if you want to completely avoid suspicion, try "well, if I had children of my own available, I wouldn't need internet access, would I?".

  11. Stupid by zrbyte · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You can't regulate people into having common sense.

  12. It's secretly just a plan to improve education by Art+Challenor · · Score: 5, Funny

    A brilliant move to improve public computer education in the UK. Now kids will have incentive to learn networking, system administration, and generally how the internet works in order to defeat the feature. A much better, practical lesson, than they'd ever get in formal classroom training - and it's free to the governemnt.

    And normally, you'd be able to ask the nerdy Linux kid to fix your computer for you, but what interest would they have in porn?

  13. Re:WARNING! DAILY MAIL! by PlusFiveTroll · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/04/cameron_default_isp_filtering/

    Wake up man, or at least do a little google-fu, Cameron is all about isp filtering of all sorts.

  14. Re:Maybe not the worst idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The trouble is, if you opt out for an unfiltered connection, you will be labeled as a pedophile, and if you do have children in the house, the government (whatever their version of the department of child welfare is called) will remove them. </sarcasm>

  15. You've all got this quite wrong by folderol · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What will actually happen is that the adults will be told to fetch the kids and then be told to go away. The kids will then be asked if they want parential controls, i.e. stuff to stop the parents logging on to dodgy malware-infected sites etc.

  16. My children are grown.... does that count? by mark-t · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What about grandchildren?

  17. In other news, PM Cameron... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...went to the seashore at Southampton and commanded the tide to stop coming in.

  18. Technical Expertise of Tabloid Newspapers by billstewart · · Score: 4, Informative

    As other comments point out, the story really comes from the Daily Mail, a right-wing total rag of a tabloid. It's typically more accurate than the Weekly World News, but it's not the Times or The Register.

    So yes, if they were to literally implement the Daily Fail's description of how service will work, that means that any computer system, operating system or browser you get in the UK would have to have modifications to ask The Kids Question when you install it, and every Internet provider would have to redirect connections for Port 80 to the filter sign-up sheet (because Teh Internet is the same thing as Teh Webz, innit?) Wot's that about links in some arch?

    Assuming David Cameron isn't quite is ignorant as the Daily Fail wants him to be, that's probably not something he'll actually propose. (If this were Australia, the answer would be different, because the pro-censorship politicians there really do appear to be that dumb.) Much more likely, if they do anything like it at all, they'll make ISPs offer censorware and/or have filtering set on by default, but filtering at the ISP level is really expensive and the ISPs will push back.

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  19. Re:Loveley, to live in a Republic! by TheP4st · · Score: 5, Funny

    With a UID as low as 137 I would not rule out old age.

    --
    "I have downloaded hundreds and hundreds of records, why would I care if somebody downloads ours?" Robin Pecknold