Cameron's stupid porn filter

At the beginning of August David Cameron unveiled a terrible plan to implement a filter on the UK's internet.

He proposed an opt-in service, with 90% of internet service providers agreeing to support a system where adults would have to ask to access pornography rather than have it available and then adding a filter (an 'opt-out' system, which is what we currently have).

The idea is that it would protect children from access to pornography as well as prevent paedophiles from viewing horrific images.

It is August, so you can understand some politicians are grasping at straws, especially as ministers have been directed to get stories into the news throughout the summer recess.

This however is a particularly badly thought through idea.

It is late so I'm going to be lazy and list my points, sorry:

1. Kids know more about technology than their parents - they will find ways round this (see below) and exploit them.

2. It is very hard to block content sharing sites and social media from sharing pornography - see, there's a way round already, but social media use only accounts for just over 50% of all internet activity so I doubt people will use it......

3. Filtering is hard to do and doesn't get that some sites might not be dangerous - for example you can block all porn sites, but they will just get a new domain name OR you could block all sites that use words like 'porn', but that would prevent access to news sites reporting on the porn filter!

4. The government would be restricting access to content that is legal - lots of illegal stuff yes, but lots of stuff that involves consenting adults. Cut out the porn element of the story and this is a pretty scary precedent

5. The filter would make parents lazy - trust the filter, don't teach or care for the kids.

This fifth point for me is a crucial one.

If all parents do is place their trust in the government, which has implemented something that they don't understand, then that is a recipe for disaster.

Instead parents should be talking to kids and guiding them through what is a very difficult topic, helping them to understand this important issue and not leaving it to the government to sort out.

Pornography is certainly something to be opposed. To mention just a few reasons:

- Women and men are exploited

- Men (in particular) are given illusions of what women and sex should be like that do not reflect reality

- Women (in particular) are then persuaded to take part in acts that would have been far less common 25 years ago

- Companies and individuals exploit people who are addicted to their product because they want to make money (in a recent BBC article a webcam performer said, speaking of those viewers who are clearly addicted to her content, “Do I think it's damaging? Yes, but I don't think it's my place to tell them to stop.")

However, a blanket filter is not the way to sort out what is clearly a problem. 

Instead, as already mentioned, firstly parents should step up and discuss the issue with their children.

Secondly the government needs to invest in internet policing, in particular catching those who exploit children for their sexual thrill, but also pursuing all those who take part in non-consenting adult (i.e. grown up) pornographic content, a market that is reported to be growing. 

Moves towards catching credit card fraudsters etc etc are also clearly needed as well, so any move such as this filter which takes money away from supporting these important police operations is a waste.

Finally, and moving to a more personal matter, it would be wrong of me to miss out saying that as a Christian I think the answer to this problem is the gospel.

The Bible says that sex is a good thing that should be encouraged, but also teaches the correct way to view people, as made in the image of God and worthy of love and respect, not exploitation.

I will not claim to have never looked at porn as such a claim would be foolish, unbelievable and misleading.

However I remain convinced that porn will be best dealt with by having a biblical perspective, caring for both those involved in porn and those who find comfort in it.

Debate warmly encouraged