Internet pornography: Difference between revisions
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== External links== |
== External links== |
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:Warning: these linked sites may contain explicit pornographic content |
:Warning: these linked sites may contain explicit pornographic content |
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* [http://www.porn-sex-list.com Free Porn List] |
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* [http://www.avnonline.com/ ''AVN Online'' magazine] |
* [http://www.avnonline.com/ ''AVN Online'' magazine] |
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* [http://www.awmcenter.net/ Adult webmaster tips and tricks] |
* [http://www.awmcenter.net/ Adult webmaster tips and tricks] |
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Revision as of 05:34, 30 October 2005
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Internet pornography is pornography that is distributed via the Internet, primarily via websites, peer-to-peer file sharing software, IRC and through Usenet newsgroups. While pornography had been traded over the internet via individuals in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, it was the invention of the World Wide Web in 1993 as well as the opening of the internet to the general public around the same time that led to an explosion in pornography over the internet.
History
While internet pornography had seen limited non-commercial distribution over the internet in the 1980’s, it was not until the internet became more accessible to the general public that internet pornography really took off. Prior to this, some pornography was distributed via pornographic BBS’s such as Rusty 'n Eddies. The invention of the World Wide Web spurred commercial distribution of pornography. Prior to the rise of commercial porn on the internet, distribution of pornography was largely internet users uploading scanned photos from adult magazines or other sources, to Usenet newsgroups which provided a great deal of anonymity, and easy means to easy circumvention copyright restrictions. Written pornography also flourished. The rise of commercial porn websites offering photos, video clips, and streaming media including live webcam access allowed greater mostly anonymous access to pornography. Now citizens in Islamic countries, disabled people, underage teenagers, and people with unusual fetishes had greater access to pornography. Because online distribution allowed producers to serve even very small groups of customers, Internet pornography pushed the boundaries of porn by catering to practically all imaginable fetishes, including some very narrow ones. It has encouraged international trade in pornography and ethnic fetishes.
Methods of Distribution
World-Wide-Web
The Word Wide Web has become one of the most popular methods of distributing commercial internet porn. Commercial websites provide such things as pornographic pictures, video clips, and live video-feeds. There is very little non-commercial distribution of internet porn via the web today due to fact that web site hosts that will host porn sites charge hefty fees to cover the cost of accommodating the increased bandwidth usage generally associated with porn sites.
Usenet newsgroups
Usenet newsgroups were one of the first internet services utilized for porn distribution. Usenet newsgroups started as text-only discussion boards but later a method was developed that allowed people to upload files and programs to newsgroups. Soon newsgroups began to spring up for distribution of internet porn. Newsgroups exists catering to just about all genres of pornography. Most newsgroup porn consists of picture files, most previously scanned from magazines or downloaded from commercial porn sites. Video files, usually clips from porn films and pornographic stories are also available. Most newsgroup porn consists of material obtained from commercial sources, often distributed in violation of copyright laws, though very little enforcement of such copyright has takes place. Because newsgroup pornography is free, other then costs of Usenet newsgroup access in general (often provided free with many ISP’S), it remains a popular venue for both obtaining and distributing porn by individuals. Usenet Newsgroups provide a greater level of anonymity.
Other methods of distribution
Email has been used for some limited non-commercial sharing of porn though due to the small amount of space the average ISP provides for email storage it has never taken off as a major medium for sharing pornography. Some email mailing lists have sprung up from time to time to provided a convenient way to share pornography among a group of email users.
Another method for sharing porn is IRC (Internet Relay Chat). While IRC was originally primarily a text based chat system, means for sharing files via IRC have been added which has led to it also being used for sharing pornography. IRC’s popularity in general has dropped drastically in recent years in favor of web-based chat rooms and other chat services such as AOL’s instant messaging.
The rise in file sharing network provides another means to share pornography. While such networks have been associated largely with the illegal sharing of copyrighted music and movies, the sharing of pornography has also been a popular use for file sharing.
Internet Pornography Formats
Image Files
Image files, particularly of the JPEG format, are one of the most common formats for distributing porn. Images may be either scanned into the computer from photographs or magazines or produced with a digital camera.
Video files and streaming video
Video files formats such as MPEG, WMV, and QuickTime have been used to distribute pornographic video clips. More recently VCD and DVD image files allow distribution of whole VCD’s and DVD’s. Many commercial porn sites exists that allow one to view pornographic streaming video including live video taken with a webcam.
Other formats
Other formats include text and audio files. While pornographic and erotic stories, distributed as text files, web pages, and via message boards and newsgroups, have been semi-popular, audio porn, via formats like MP3, have seem only very limited distribution. Audio porn can include recordings of people having sex or reading erotic stories.
Popularity
Like the VHS videotapes and DVD’s, the Internet has been popular for distributing pornography because it allows people to view pornography anonymously in the comfort and privacy of their homes. Another reason for its popularity is that people whose access to pornography is heavily restricted, or outright banned, can often obtain it over the internet due to its international nature. This prevents one country from banning material hosted by a website located in another country where it is legal.
Legal Status
Main article: Legal status of internet pornography.
Since the internet is an international network and there is currently no international laws regulating pornography, each country deals with internet pornography differently. Generally, so long as the pornographic content is legal in the jurisdiction where it is being distributed from then the distributor of such content would not be in violation of the law regardless of whether it is accessible in countries where it would not be legal. This does not apply to those who access the pornography from such countries though as they could still be prosecuted under local laws in their country. Due to enforcement problems anti-pornography laws over the internet, countries that prohibit or heavily restrict access to pornography have taken other approaches to limit access by their citizens such as employing content filters. The concern over internet pornography is largely the result of activists and politicians who have expressed concern of the easy availability of pornography, especially by minors. This has led to a variety of attempts to restrict children’s access to internet porn such as the Communications Decency Act, many of which have either been ruled unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court or are currently tied up in court. Some companies use age checking system, or an Adult Verification System to deny access to pornography to minors.
One type of area in internet pornography where there has been a greater and more successful effort made in curtailing is the area of internet child pornography. One problem though in this area is the differing definitions of child pornography from country to country. For example, some content that is illegal child porn in the U.S. is legal in Russia. Because of this, most Internet pornography websites based in the U.S., and many that are not, have a notice on their front page that they comply with 18 USC Section 2257, which requires the keeping of records regarding the age of the people depicted in photographs.
External links
- Warning: these linked sites may contain explicit pornographic content