Congressmen warn parents of porn on sharing networks
By D. IAN HOPPER
Associated Press
Saturday, July 28, 2001
Washington -- The same technology that allowed Internet users to swap music can be used by children to locate hard-core pornography, and two congressmen are providing parents with some tips to keep it from happening.
The programs, which have become popular since the legally embattled Napster began its decline and was finally knocked off- line, can transfer much more than the music files that Napster was famous for. They can help users share any type of file, including pornographic movies.
Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Steve Largent (R-Okla.) released a report Friday alerting parents. The report was prepared by the House Government Reform Committee.
"It's not a question of gratuitous violence or bad language or bad taste," Waxman said. "It's an explosion of the most demeaning and dehumanizing exhibitions imaginable, and it can appear on our children's computer screens whether they ask for it or not."
Waxman and Largent aren't yet calling for legislation but want parents to be aware of the programs and realize that most Internet filtering software doesn't stop them. Internet filters are designed to block Web pages, but most can't scan movies or block sharing programs.
The design of sharing networks like BearShare, Aimster and LimeWire complicates the matter further. Unlike Napster, the individual users contact directly, instead of using a central computer. This also is a headache for copyright holders including the music and movie industries, which can't file suit to close down the network because in many cases no company exists to sue.
Since Napster's fall, the upstart decentralized file-sharing networks have flourished. They are some of the most downloaded programs on the Internet, dwarfing Napster's popularity during its heyday.
The lawmakers said parents shouldn't rely on the effectiveness of filters and should talk frequently with their children about how they use the computer. Putting the children's computer in a common room may also help, they said.
The report says pornography is both popular and prevalent on the networks and that children may accidentally stumble upon it when looking for something else.
The search term "porn" ranks second only to a word for pirated movies on the Gnutella network, and various other adult terms dominate the Top 30 list.
Even if children search for other popular downloads, like typing in the names of pop stars Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera, they can find surprising results.
"When the Special Investigations Division used the popular file- sharing program Aimster to search for videos of Britney Spears, over 70% of the results were pornographic files," the report states.
On the Net: Pornography Report and tips for parents: www.house.gov/ reform/min/porn.html
TIPS FOR PARENTS
A few ways that parents can help keep their children away from hard-core pornography on the Internet:
-- Don't rely on the effectiveness of Internet filters.
-- Talk frequently with children about how they use the computer.
-- Put children's computer in a common room.
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