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Google-Funded Free Wi-Fi Kiosks Are Scrapping Web Browsing Because Too Many People Were Using it For Porn (businessinsider.com)

This is why New Yorkers can't have nice things. LinkNYC, the initiative to install super-fast wifi hubs in New York City, is suspending web browsing on all its tablets after 8 months due to "inappropriate behavior," the company says, according to a report on BusinessInsider. From the article:Google parent company Alphabet funds LinkNYC through its spinoff Sidewalk Labs. "... Some users have been monopolizing the Link tablets and using them inappropriately, preventing others from being able to use them while frustrating the residents and businesses around them," the company writes in a statement. DNAInfo previously reported that people were using the hubs to watch porn.

22 of 140 comments (clear)

  1. Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Like there's any other use for the Internet.

    1. Re:Lol by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      However, I expect it is just people leaving pages open for the "shock" value. Then actual enjoyment of the content.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That's even worse! Did you mean "than"?

    3. Re:Lol by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Trivial in execution, good for a laugh

      Yeah, amateur shock is "funny" in the same way that my brother in law dropping trou at Thanksgiving was funny. He isn't allowed in my house until he apologizes, and at 55 years old, still hasn't figured out what he did wrong.

      At some point, the shock value isn't funny anymore (if it was ever that way) People usually grow out of that once they get out of puberty, some people never do.

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    4. Re:Lol by TheCastro1689 · · Score: 2

      Maybe he did the angry goat in front of kids as well?

  2. So what by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If I want to watch porn and masturbate at a kiosk, who are you to take away my American freedoms? George Washington fought for my right to masturbate at kiosks.

  3. addressing the wrong problem. again. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Porn or cat videos. Or playing Candy Crush for hours. Once again, addressing the wrong problem. Why should it matter what I watch on them. The real problem is here is monopolisation of the devices. I can monopolise one of those devices just as easily watching cat videos.

    For once. Just once, will somebody look at a problem and address it properly rather than taking a side-swipe at some unrelated hot-button topic?

  4. It begs to say... by bettodavis · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm utterly shocked about this completely unexpected development.

    1. Re:It begs to say... by Jason+Levine · · Score: 2

      Many, many years ago, my company rolled out its first Intranet. Not all staff were able to use computers during their jobs so we set up a kiosk in the cafeteria (a very public area) to let them look up information on their lunch break. On an almost weekly basis, I would be called down to the cafeteria because the kiosk was showing pornographic pop-up ads. (This was before my company installed a web filter.) Needless to say, some night staff member was using the computer to browse porn sites and kept agreeing to install browser toolbars from the sites. It's amazing that we didn't get any virus infestations into our network from the kiosk - just spyware. The kiosk idea was soon scrapped because the work required to keep it spyware-free wasn't worth it.

      (Like I said, this was many, many years ago. Were I to do something like this nowadays, I'd know dozens of different ways to lock the device down so that the users wouldn't be able to do what they did to that kiosk.)

      --
      My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
  5. Re:addressing the wrong problem. again. by Koreantoast · · Score: 4, Informative
    If you read the article, that's exactly what they're exploring: time limits and other ways to prevent monopolization. The wifi services, free calls, and maps are still enabled. This is just a temporary measure until they come up with a better solution.

    LinkNYC says that it's working with city officials to come up with potential solutions, like time limits, so that it can allow users to browse the web once more. In the meantime, people will still be able to use the tablets to make calls and look at maps.

  6. Who would have guessed? Tragedy of the commons by tacokill · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Who would have guessed that a free service would be abused? It's almost like there should be a word or saying for that. Oh yea, there is: Tragedy of the Commons
    This issue seems to come up a lot, doesn't it?

  7. Re:Porn is bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Because US Christians don't like nude or sex.

    There, I fixed it for you.

  8. Re:Porn is bad by wierd_w · · Score: 3, Funny

    You have it all wrong bro.

    Christians love sex. But, they only want sex that is:

    1) only performed by married people.
    2) who are married to each other
    3) are a man and a woman
    4) in the missionary position
    And, if Catholic,
    5) for the purposes of reproduction only. No contraceptives!

  9. Re:addressing the wrong problem. again. by Aaden42 · · Score: 2

    This is just a temporary measure until they come up with a better solution.

    Sorry, I don't buy that. If the problem is that some people are over-using the systems preventing others from using them, then completely disabling them for everybody while you look for a better solution is worse than doing nothing. You've turned unavailable for some people in some places at some times to unavailable for all people every place all the time.

    There's no question this was a knee jerk reaction to "pr0n is bad!" They're not trying to prevent people from hogging them. They're preventing people from viewing material they consider objectionable.

  10. Re:Porn is bad by mark-t · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You are quite wrong on point 4, however. While it may be a matter of personal preference for some christians, there is nothing in the Bible that can even remotely be interpreted as condemning other copulatory positions than 'missionary'. This might be a a particular church denomonation's view (similar to the Catholic church's prohibition on artificial birth control), but is not reflective of most even extremely strict Christian views.

  11. Re:Porn is bad by stephenmac7 · · Score: 2

    From the Christians' point of view, it's not a thing. Just because the government says it is doesn't make it so (unless you're living in Oceania, Eurasia, or Eastasia).

    --
    "No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session." -- Judge Gideon J. Tucker
  12. Re:addressing the wrong problem. again. by Rob+Y. · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I live on the stretch of Third Avenue that first got these kiosks. I don't care what people watch on them, but it's a pretty regular thing to see somebody camping out next to one of them. Often they've overturned a trash can or newspaper vending box to use as a seat - though I've seen some wheelchairs being used for more comfortable seating. In any case, they're there for hours at a time, and the overall effect isn't much more appealing than a homeless guy sleeping in a cardboard box...

    That said, the whole kiosk thing is a backdoor insertion of extremely bright LED screen ads that draw your eyes to them as they rotate their images multiple times per block as you try to walk up the avenue. And for what? Free wi-fi that requires you to sign in, tracks you, and provides nothing that your phone isn't already providing over the cellular network. I suppose the charging ports are nice - if you're willing to stand there long enough to get a decent charge.

    --
    Posted from my Android phone. Oh, I can change this? There, that's better...
  13. Re:addressing the wrong problem. again. by Oligonicella · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They're preventing people from viewing material they consider objectionable.

    Their hubs, their rules. This is a classic example of the tragedy of the commons. There's always some douche who wants to abuse it. I'm curious as to why your ire isn't directed at the abusers.

  14. Slashdot, where the trolls are honest by TiggertheMad · · Score: 2

    As opposed to places where people who deny being wankers hang out? Pretty much everybody on the planet is a wanker or a wanker and a liar. If you really aren't masturbating, you probably need to see a doctor or psychiatrist.

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
  15. Re:Porn is bad by wierd_w · · Score: 2

    Iirc, it was Jewish common law for a brother to take his deceased brother's wife as his own, and then sire a child in his brother's name. The intent was to assure that his brother's widow was cared for (because she likely couldn't remarry in the normal way, having had sex), as well as assure an heir to his brother's lands and flocks.

    onan did not want to sire such a child.

  16. Re:addressing the wrong problem. again. by Carewolf · · Score: 2

    Yes it does, it's your stuff. If people abuse it, even in just your opinion, it's your prerogative simply stop making it available. Unless you're promoting that once offered the "community" can *force* you to keep making it available instead of ponying up the resources you were. Is that your position?

    They were GRANTED the right to install it on the streets. That comes with a responsibility.

    But what they grand-parent post said though was that, it at least takes away the value of the gift. It is like giving your kid a car but then saying it can only be used to vist grandmom and fetch you yourself when your are too drunk at the pub. Sure it your gift and your kid, so you can set any rules you want, but it does take away nearly 100% of the value as a gift.

  17. Well.. by OpenSourced · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you offer free potatoes, you must take into account that somebody will come with a truck.

    --
    Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.