Cyber porno has already become an industry and is in rapid expansion mode with huge sums involved in the field. Subscription services have come up, charging a fee to deliver access to large sites along with hundreds of small affiliate sites, generating a lot of revenues. Free contents are posted frequently in an effort to entice surfers to visit repeatedly, to sign up and gain instant access. Contents are generated and distributed elsewhere but empirical evidence is that the users’ market is rapidly growing here in our society.
The happening is not new, of course. It has been there in some form or the other. But what is unprecedented in the age of personal computers and the Internet is this: the mass consumption of cyber porno moving way beyond the pathetic stereotypes into the potent mainstream, the use of the Internet to rummage the smut, assault of covert and overt signals from different web sources and exposure to inappropriate sexual themes.
With some odd exceptions, the viewing of naked images is sinful in most religions. Different schools of thoughts and cultures also consider it at least objectionable, an idea of the Internet as a tool of free speech and issues of civil rights and liberties notwithstanding. Besides being degrading to humanity, “the act (of viewing porno) is harmful physically as well as mentally,” says Dr. Irfan Chaudhry.
One aspect that caught the world attention first is that children, who cannot distinguish what is right from what is wrong, might fall easy prey, hence they should be protected. It is one of the few areas which have been subject to law enforcement activities in many countries.
There have been measures aimed to restrict this happening, but the material remains widely available, much of it for free. That led to increasing demand for software products by concerned parents who are in the know of the matter, which could filter Web pages. A number of software developers have made big profits by selling filtering programs though nothing seems to be working.
Web filtering software is far from perfect. Some block many innocent sites along with the objectionable sites rendering the Internet experience as discouraging. “There is no demand for porno blocking software,” says an IT graduate and software vendor Azmat Hayat in Lahore. Another reason that efforts at restricting the viewing of pornography over the Internet have been largely ineffective is because of the high demand, which make restricting very difficult if not impossible.
Viewing pornography is a clear violation of the divine directives and suggested way of life in the first place. It reinforces sinful feelings. Scientific research even in more liberal societies has shown the profound effects pornography can have on human behaviour: thoughts, speech, desires, expectations, actions, habits, and lifestyle. It has been established beyond doubt that looking at pornography causes one to lust and leads to a desire to commit adultery. Continuous viewing of pornography over period leads to destructive addiction with seismic results. Even innocent users can have profound effects when by chance come to know of the seedier side of the Internet.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
Nice to see that the forces of mindless, self-righteous prudery, judgmentalism and censorship are just as strong in Pakistan as they are in the US.
Why do you think that your personal hangups about nudity and sex should be forced on others through the force of law and government? Are you so percect that you ought to be allowed to determine what others can see and do?
Dave
2 - Bob Jones
As long as it is all legal I couldn't give a hoot, Pornography isn't a problem - all we should care about is the Child Pornography, not some 25 year old blonde who took her kit off!
3 - Porn Student
Why does people having sex bother you so much? Does your religion keep you from thinking?
4 - Al Barger
"So what should be done? First, every one must teach himself to live within the limits set by Allah the exalted."
OK, that's one possible approach. Might I suggest a counteroffer? I propose that Allah the exalted be bent over the couch and poked up the ass while being watched by millions via live webcam. Sounds like a major pay-per-view event.
Other than that, Allah can definitely stay the hell out of my sphere of consciousness. Younguns seeing naked people rubbing up on one another isn't the best thing for them, but I'd rather that than see them programmed with your repressive and far more destructive religious nonsense.
5 - Al Barger
While we're at it, here's something to appeal to the prurient interests of the Muslim community: lesbian terrorist pictures. Enjoy.
6 - Victor Plenty
Al, did somebody tell you 72 virgins are waiting for you to get yourself killed by fanatics?
7 - Matthew T. Sussman
Al is short for Allah.
!
8 - Al Barger
Brother Victor, being killed by fanatics is always a possibility, but they have to get past my coon dog and our arsenal. A country boy can survive, and all that.
That reminds me, I need to scrape me up $125 for one of our new Indiana lifetime carry permits.
Suss, I'm not sure I'm understanding you. What're you trying to say? Do I even want to know?
9 - Clavos
I am decidedly anti any type of sensor in any form whatsoever
Coulda fooled me...
Seems like the internet facilitates the spreading of all kinds of stuff across borders, not just porn,.
10 - Victor Plenty
Thanks, Sussman. So many things suddenly make sense now.
11 - duane
First, every one must teach himself to live within the limits set by Allah the exalted.
OK, so how much internet porn does this Allah person say we can look at in a day? Does he limit the number of pictures? Like a 100 per day? Or does he limit the time? Like, say, two hours a day, tops? Does he make exceptions if you don't have a DSL line?Or does he have something to say about the type of porn we can look at, like, oh, I dunno, no tranny stuff, or group sex?
You know, Allah should look into all this internet celebrity gossip chit chat. Now, THAT is a problem. And sports. There's too much sports. A big waste of time. And MTV ... now ... oh, nevermind.
... governments should enact strict laws against creation, hoisting, and distributing the contents that are immoral and harmful for the humanity. To me it is not a sensor.
Um, no. Bad idea.
And for future reference, the word is "censor," not "sensor."
12 - Victor Plenty
With some people, we're all better off if they never learn how to spell "censor."
13 - Clavos
...and what's wrong with "hoisting" (unless of course, it's by your own petard)?
14 - Jet in Columbus
AL and I are going to have to talk about those fantasies... This has been a recorded announcement...
15 - nugget
excellent piece.
16 - Jet in Columbus
Is that an ass joke-that looks like a pornagraphic ass joke...
17 - Victor Plenty
Well, we all know you're a piece-loving man.
18 - Jet in Columbus
Uh huh
19 - Al Barger
Jet, this seems like a whole big marketing niche that might do especially well among more erudite gay clientele- satiric religious and political porn. Get some gay porn stars dressed up like the actor in Team America going undercover, and cast them as, say, UBL and Saddam Hussein going at it. That'd be my idea of "multiculturalism."
20 - Dave Nalle
Got to say that Al has it about right in #4. I'll gladly pay $19.95 for the pay-per-view of Allah getting jumped into the Aryan Brotherhood.
Dave
21 - Purple Tigress
The comments here are sadly enlightening.
With the sexual slavery going on in the US and in other countries, the only concern voiced here is child pornography? With the spread of STDs and the rise of feminism, pornography is still seen as harmless?
Gee if Mel Gibson had only targeted Muslims and Allah like some of the people here, he wouldn't be in such trouble and that's a sad commentary on Americans. Muslim bashing is still OK, I guess.
Muslims don't believe in drinking alcohol either. Good for them. I don't believe in drinking alcohol or pornography.
I enjoyed reading this piece. However, the more educational part is reading the comments and being reminded of the low mentality of some people.
22 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
A censer never helped a dead man, and a censor never helped a live one. But a sensor, if it senses incoming missiles or gunfire, can save your life.
Purple Tigress, I tend to agree with the author here on the issue of internet pornography - particularly the points about the possibility of addiction to it. Pornography degrades a person. And you have the politest way of calling the leading writers here by the nastiest names - without either using the names or calling them anything....
Cool.
Shabbat Shalom,
23 - Nancy
Porn is always victimization of women & children by MEN. That says it all.
24 - gonzo marx
Nancy.. just something for you to think about
a large number of the production companies making porn nowadays are owned and operated by women
this is a thorny Issues in many ways, and i tend to go with the "freedom of the press" bit , as long as those involved are consenting adults
if not, then bust the bastards Responsible to the fullest extent of the Law...
however, that is an Issue revolving around the "consenting adult" parts, and NOT abot the content itself... which is basicly harmless
but i do agree, that the unscrupulous, the exploiters and other criminals , should be fully prosecuted
and the rest left alone
your mileage may vary
Excelsior?
25 - Nancy
Regarding consentings, I don't care either. That's their problem. However, I am correct in pointing out the vast, vast majority of porn is produced by men for men, using women & kids. Damn little porn is done for women, as most women don't like porn so there isn't a market for it. As for women owning or producing porn, perhaps, but I'll bet they're few & far between.