to think that a Europe wide ban on pornography is nuts?

[ophelia275]

The European parliament is seeking a ban on all pornography across Europe.

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/european-parliament-votes-on-call-for-porn-ban-8527229.html

I don't think all pornography is bad and I think it serves as an outlet for both women and men to release anger/sexual frustration etc. I don't think a ban would be a good idea because there would always be ways around it and suppressing pornography would just result in more violence and sexual aggression imo. I also don't think there is anything inherently wrong in looking at naked photos of the opposite sex and satisfies a natural urge.

Sometimes I wonder what the EU is going to try and ban next on the grounds of protecting our rights?

This will be interesting.

Personally i don't think it's a bad thing to ban it, don't know how they would enforce it though.

Which newspaper/media outlet are you from OP?

You are equating sexual violence with a natural urge? I can't agree with you at all there I'm afraid. I haven't read the link yet though, or heard about the call for a ban.

Or if they can't ban it then it needs better control.

suppressing pornography would just result in more violence and sexual aggression imo

Really? Rather than sexual aggression no longer being something that young men and women see as being part and parcel of sex?

You are deluded OP. This ban would be brilliant.

A quick search on the OPs name shows that she isnt a journalist.. and is just a regular poster.

As for the ban, I cant see how it could possibly be implemented in any case.

Downfall - what everyone who looks at pornography is sexually violent? I've looked at porn and I've never been sexually violent. What a sweeping generalisation.

Arf. Regardless if whether banning Internet port is a good thing or not, what they are proposing is impossible.

You cannot regulate the Internet!

I actually agree with the ban or at least some kind of control although I have no idea how that could be done.

Will it be all men voting I wonder?

Rather than sexual aggression no longer being something that young men and women see as being part and parcel of sex?

Totally agree

"You cannot regulate the Internet!"

Tell China that..

How have they defined "pornography", do we know? Because you can't ban without a definition.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_by_country

I do not want to live in a country that imposes censorship like those in that list.

But the European Parliament isn't "seeking a ban" on porn, the OP is very misleading.

It's a resolution being proposed by a Dutch MEP, Kartika Liotard, that will be voted on by the European Parliament.

I think it would be a good thing. Which is unusual for anything from Europe. So I would totally approve of this proposal. It is a disgrace in this day and age that porn should be acceptable. It isn't acceptable to me.

I would imagine it isn't about protecting your rights, but more about protecting vulnerable women from exploitation?

But looking at pornography is not just looking at naked pictures of men and women, it's normally about men controlling the women to get them to satisfy their sexual needs and fantasies and look at the language they used to describe women and women's anatomy. I think their must be very little pornography that is aimed at women. I think it's pretty disturbing and should not be seen as normal. Also disagree about society being safer porn. I think it would be safer without as 'some' men may take their frustrations out on everyday women in the street after what they have seen or have unrealistic expectations of what women want to consent to during sex.

Nobody is forced to watch porn. There are filters on computers.

I disagree strongly with censorship in this way and I very much doubt this proposal will go anywhere, just like the the hundreds of others that go to the European Parliament.

squeaky It is relatively easy to bypass the great firewall of China.

I would like to know how on earth they intend to

a) Define pornography
b) Stop production of it
c) Stop distribution of it
d) Not further put women at risk

squeakytoy Sat 09-Mar-13 11:51:18
"You cannot regulate the Internet!"

Tell China that..

Very true, but you can not regulate the internet AND preserve principles of freedom of speech OR stop people getting around the various limitations that are imposed.

I think we all know that there a lot of people in China who do get round the government restrictions...

My husband is a very, very good computer programmer and every time this subject comes up he laughs. There simply isn't the technology to do this; and there isn't the political will and investment to produce the necessary technology to do this. It would essentially need to be national defence level technology. And that does not come cheap.

Nor is there the will of programmers to support such censorship. Programmers tend to belong to a culture which supports freedom of information and freedom of speech. They would not want jobs in this area unless the money was extremely high. Again making the cost too high.

Not when the amount of money involved in porn is just so high due to the sheer level of demand and this has being one of the leading forces in the development of the internet and technology in general. (DVD, VHS etc as well as porn).

This proposal is based on a complete lack of understanding of whats involved and how it would work. Its pie in the sky nonsense.

Good luck to them with this. I shall sit back and watch them try with amusement.

I think it would be great, but it is impossible to implement. I do however wish that it was blocked from all computers unless you opt in.

exotic fruits it is relatively easy to block port on your own computer, much harder to do it higher up the chain.

K9 is quite good and free.

Nobody is forced to watch porn. There are filters on computers.

That's far too simplistic an argument. For one thing many women (and some men too) are forced to endure partners who view porn against their wishes. Then there are issues about some of the material people are viewing which depict sexual violence against and humiliation of women, rape and sexual assault. Women are regularly referred to as 'sluts' or 'bitches' on sites. Women who have formerly been performers complain of being coerced into acts they are reluctant to participate in, suffer internal injuries and are treated like shit. A much higher than average proportion of porn actresses suffered sexual abuse as children. Then there is the whole issue of the unrealistic expectations porn places on sexually inexperienced men and women.

It is more than an issue about personal choice. There is a question about whether this is achievable, but that is no reason not to try and deal with this issue. In terms of censorship, it exists anyway otherwise how could child pornography sites be closed and people prosecuted? The Internet isn't the free, unregulated space people think it is.

HoHoHoNoYouDont
"Will it be all men voting I wonder?"

I suspect as just over 30% of MEPs are female the answer is no, But carry on being sexist if you like.

The Internet is generally unregulated and free. Occasionally kiddy porn sites get shut down with great fanfare. Occasionally people get prosecuted.

Most people are prosecuted because of what is on their personal computer.

There is no point in discussing it because it can't be done.

I'd really really like to become invisible at will, do you really think that's worth trying to implement?