This is obnoxious and mean-spirited -- you are questioning the manner in
which people choose to bring up their children. If you think that a "zero
sheltering" policy is the most effective, that's your perogative, but most
people don't agree that's the best way to create well-balanced citizens.
Sheltering doesn't always stem from prudishness -- it often stems from
concern for children's sensitivity to difficult topics and concepts.
Five-year-olds simply may not be emotionally ready to understand what
they're seeing when they come across images of bestial fist-fucking. Get
real.
Second, you and others involved in this discussion need to stop referring
to this software as censoring software. Censorship implies that a work or
works have been blocked from the top-down. Since people elect to use this
system voluntarily, it's a self-chosen shield, not some government
regulation coming down and taping the artists' mouth shut. Censorship is
dangerous to society. Blocking software is not.
Our rights to free speech are IN NO WAY affected by the use of blocking
software such as CyberPatrol. You have not been asked by any entitity to
stop making drawings of nudes or erotica or whatever. You have not been
asked by any entity not to display your work online or in any other media.
How are your rights being stepped on?
For me, there is only one problem with the cyberpatrol policy, and that's
the arbitrary distinction between what constiutes a "museum" and what does
not. I think that part is bullshit. Otherwise, the software is
well-implemented, the concept is sound, it affords the maximum of rights
for all parties... what's the problem?
Scot
(Yes, a section of my site has been blocked and I have no problem with
that. No, I do not have any children)
Previous Message
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-- To: talk@art.net, ejbagai@teleport.com, DEBRAG@MICROSYS.COM cc: fifth@wired.com From: dhopkins@maxis.com @ INET Date: 08/28/97 07:07:00 PM MST Subject: Birth control versus censorship
If would-be parents are so concerned that the real world is too harsh for their children, then it is horribly irresponsible for them to have kids, and they shouldn't try to take away other peoples right to free speech instead. Those peoples kids are no more important than the kids of people who want to bring them up to be intelligent and independent enough to deal with the real world. Preventative birth control is much more effective than any web censoring software. -Don