who is responsible?

[vidcc]

I saw a story on Scarborough country the other day about pre paid "porn cards" which were on sale in New York at news stands. The idea being that one can purchase a pre paid card in the same way as a phone card and buy time to view pay to view porn sites on the Internet instead of using your credit card directly.

The problem was that the operators at these news stands sold some cards to teenagers under 18 years despite it clearly stating on the cards that they were for sale to adults only.
You can see the story here

one anti porn group is saying that the operators of the porn sites and the card distributors should be charged with providing porn to children. The porn site operators are saying that if any charges arise it should be against the vendor that sold the cards to minors and that they have done no wrong because the sites are intended for consenting adults only and they make this quite clear.
I would add that the anti porn group taking the case wants to ban pornography completely, even for consenting adults.

So who should be held accountable?

My view is that the vendor should be charged for selling to minors...he should have checked for ID before selling such items. Tobacco and alcohol industries don't get charged if a store sells their product to minors so I see no difference here.

Parents should act responsibly if they allow their children Internet access

[DanB]

The vendor has to be responsible, the porn provider has done their bit by labelling the cards and the site as 18's and above only.

Although this is America where fat people sue McDonalds for making them fat so who knows

[Busyman]

I saw a story on Scarborough country the other day about pre paid "porn cards" which were on sale in New York at news stands. The idea being that one can purchase a pre paid card in the same way as a phone card and buy time to view pay to view porn sites on the Internet instead of using your credit card directly.

The problem was that the operators at these news stands sold some cards to teenagers under 18 years despite it clearly stating on the cards that they were for sale to adults only.
You can see the story here

one anti porn group is saying that the operators of the porn sites and the card distributors should be charged with providing porn to children. The porn site operators are saying that if any charges arise it should be against the vendor that sold the cards to minors and that they have done no wrong because the sites are intended for consenting adults only and they make this quite clear.
I would add that the anti porn group taking the case wants to ban pornography completely, even for consenting adults.

So who should be held accountable?

My view is that the vendor should be charged for selling to minors...he should have checked for ID before selling such items. Tobacco and alcohol industries don't get charged if a store sells their product to minors so I see no difference here.

Parents should act responsibly if they allow their children Internet access

Not too much more to add there. What you said is the only logical course of action.
DanB makes the good point though that our country is litigation central.

We've got illogical laws and solutions.

[j2k4]

Yes to all.

The laws (the proper ones, anyway) are in place already.

The downfall is the enforcement part of the equation, and that begins with lawyers who obfuscate on behalf of the guilty, and endeavor to marginalize the blame by sharing it around if it cannot be escaped altogether.

This is one of those headlines that makes a reader pine for resolution, when the likelihood is that the story will not be followed with anything approaching the attention it deserves.

I would regard any subsequent or extended coverage of this story to be exceptional.

[bigboab]

I dont know if this has been discussed. But I see a more serious side to this. The sale of these cards could mean that paedophiles could not be traced when they visit kiddie porn sites. I think this is a loophole and should be closed immediately.

[DanB]

I dont know if this has been discussed.

Do you not read before you post?


I am sure before these cards were allowed to go on sale it was ensured that only legitimate porn companies that were legal could provide such a service

[vidcc]

I dont know if this has been discussed. But I see a more serious side to this. The sale of these cards could mean that paedophiles could not be traced when they visit kiddie porn sites. I think this is a loophole and should be closed immediately.

Added to what Danb pointed out if the cards where sold on behalf of a child porn site then there would be a case in law to go after the producers of the cards as well as the site owners as child porn is not legal...therefore prepaid cards for such sites are not legal.

edit: upon a second glance that is just what Danb said and not an addition.

[Arm]

I dont know if this has been discussed. But I see a more serious side to this. The sale of these cards could mean that paedophiles could not be traced when they visit kiddie porn sites. I think this is a loophole and should be closed immediately.

I doubt kiddie porn could be commerically sold so openly as legal porn. I would explain why but I hope everyone could figure out.

This reminds me of the idiot who called me a pedophile on here. Boab, that wouldnt of been you by any chance, would it?

Oh yeah, another thing. How exactly is a minor viewing porno hurting them? That never made sense to me. Really how is anything thats age-restricted to minors hurt them? Well I mean hurt in such a way that it must be restricted by age anyway?

[bigboab]

If the cards are available these people will find a loophole to use them to access kiddie porn with anonimity. Why were they introduced in the first place. to provide anonimity to husbands and wives to prevent their partners finding out? Or is there another reason that I have not thought about.


@ Dan!. I just flicked through the thread and added that proviso in case I had maybe missed something( football called). Obviously the subject had not been raised until then. So I must be flicking good.

[Arm]

Yes you could misuse anything to help distribute child porn. These porn cards are no different.