From owner-freebsd-questions Sun Jul 16 20:55:38 2000 Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mail.bfm.org (mail.bfm.org [216.127.218.26]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 139B437B5F3 for ; Sun, 16 Jul 2000 20:55:35 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from Ryugen@palaver.org) Received: from primo.bfm.org ([216.127.218.20]) by mail.bfm.org (Post.Office MTA v3.5.3 release 223 ID# 0-52399U2500L250S0V35) with SMTP id org for ; Sun, 16 Jul 2000 22:56:53 -0500 Received: from office.palaver.org (unverified [216.176.8.9]) by primo.bfm.org (EMWAC SMTPRS 0.83) with SMTP id ; Sun, 16 Jul 2000 22:55:32 -0500 Message-Id: <4.3.2.7.2.20000716225331.00ad0600@mail.palaver.org> X-Sender: rfisher@mail.palaver.org X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 4.3.2 Date: Sun, 16 Jul 2000 22:55:38 -0500 To: mccarty From: Ryugen@palaver.org (Ryugen C. Fisher) Subject: Re: customer dissatisfaction Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG In-Reply-To: <008501bfef6e$dc126fa0$d1d167d8@pacbell.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG I did not realize that Sen. Joe has a son or younger brother


However.. this list, being about FreeBSD is not a suitable platform for this discussion...
find a WIN-NT group... now THERE is an X-Rated operating system

<shrug>

At 04:43 PM 07/16/2000, mccarty wrote:
 

Dear Sirs:

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I am very disturbed by the growing trend towards institutionalizing pornography as part of mainstream American culture, and the increasingly easy access to children of just about anything one can or can't imagine.  Why is Yahoo providing infrastructure to support this?  I can only surmise - for the same reason ATT acquired the rights to distribute XXX pornographic films over the internet on Xcite@Home (now I understand why they named it xcite@home?) - pure profits.

I'm not trying to take a public stand on whether some or all forms of pornography should be legal, etc.  My main areas of concern are the following:

1)  The issue of accessibility is a serious problem.  After a few keystrokes, a 10 year old can  click on a button that says he's 18 and can get free access to thousands of samples of ANY KIND OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL.  Regardless of whether you think pornography is good, immoral, or should be illegal, I think most people would agree that it is not a healthy thing for kids to get drawn into.  Access to physical forms of pornography are restricted (e.g., magazines, videos, sex clubs), either geographically, or be physical access restrictions, or both.  Access to electronic formats, including some truly abominable stuff, is virtually unrestricted.  There is a large quantity of EXTREME and potentially even illegal material available FREE on the internet.  It would be an understatement to say I believe this is having a negative effect on the emotional development of the world's children.

2)  Yahoo! is providing a playground for sexual predators.  Yahoo tolerates (encourages?) these sex clubs because they generate revenue.  The sex clubs exist ostensibly to provide a forum for public discussion of adult topics.  In practice, they are just advertisements and/or links to pornography sites, and watering holes for child molestors and other sexual predators.  And I believe the easy access and ubiquity helps condition potential victim's to think of these kinds of sexual activities as "normal", lowers inhibitions, etc.

3)  The third big issue I have with all this is the MAINSTREAMING of this kind of stuff - the idea that Yahoo! and ATT are turning dissemmination of pornography int an acceptable profit-making activity for major US corporations, and expect that noone will blink an eye.  No, I m sorry, but I don't think pornography should be commercialized and institutionalized.  Guess what, if this trend continues, I bet the kids won't be trading Pokemon cards at the playground much longer!

I plan to boycott Yahoo!  until something is done to correct this situation.  Companies that partner with Yahoo!  or pay to advertise on Yahoo!  should also understand that they are supporting this infrastructure with their advertising dollars as well.  Please consider your actions carefully.

 

Sincerely,

 

John McCarty
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