The whole idea behind the Justice department trying to get the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) enacted and trying to get info from search engines to make it happen is beyond retarded.
This is basicly like saying that underage drinking is a problem so lets put a sign on the freezer door at the quickie mart that asks if you are old enough to drink before you take your six pack of beer. Does that sound like something that is going to work. Any underage drinker who is worth his weight will just say “Sure, I’m old enough. Now give me the fuckin beer!”
Now how about asking all liquor store owners to make sure they get a picture and a name everytime someone asks for or buys beer. How about everytime you buy alcohol they scan your license and the state keeps track of how much alcohol you’ve had. While we’re at it maybe we can set limits. Per day, Per month, Per year. That would certainly help the whole underage drinking thing… Right?
The reason the Justice Department wants to do this is NOT because it will work. They are NOT doing this because it will work better than parents putting filtering software on their computer and talking to their kids about the internet and sex.
(Based on my experience with tech support recently most parents would need their childrens help to get the damn filters working anyway)
This is simple a way to go after the porn industry. The porn industry makes most of it’s money from the internet so they are going after them where it hurts. When the justice department and the music industry started fighting file traders, they did not go after the file traders directly. First they made sure that they could get the internet providers to give them the information. (ISP’s) Then they went after the people who made the trading possible. (Grokster, Napster, ) Then they went after the individuals.
They will make them put useless front doors on all the sites then they will corden them off in a .xxx domain name. Then they will make sure that even talking about sex will mean that you have a .xxx domain.
After all this they will sit and wonder why it is not working. Just like the music business doesn’t understand why it is losing money and market share to iTunes.
When people want something, they will find a way to get it. If you don’t want to find something stop looking for it. People do not go to these sites by accident, I don’t care what Pete Townsend says. It is your duty to keep your kids from getting run over in the street. And if you don’t it is called child neglect. Why is it suddenly the whole worlds responsibility to make sure that your child does not go to the wrong website.
You not being smart enough to stop your kids from doing something is not the basis for making good law.
Premium Member
Portland, Oregon