Dear Duterte admin: Banning porn websites will not accomplish anything
Last month, netizens were abuzz about reports that certain adult entertainment websites including PornHub, RedTube, and YouPorn were apparently rendered inaccessible by the government. It was probably just an experiment since the sites were accessible again after a few hours.
Efforts have been made across the world to ban online pornography with mixed results, including Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, United States, as well as the United Kingdom. Why is online pornography so hard to do away with?
This is because to completely ban porn, then you must completely control the Internet as well. In other words, the government may succeed in blocking certain websites (PornHub, Redtube, etc.) but adult materials can still be easily accessible elsewhere including Twitter.
Now, it appears that the government will be using these three legal instruments if and when it really cracks down on online porn:
1) Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code
(Offenses Against Decency and Good Customs)
2) Republic Act 9775 (Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009)
3) Republic Act 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012)
Porn websites should not be banned totally. Instead, the focus should be on sex videos that patently violate the law including those that feature violence against women, crushed animals, and minors having sex.
I know that the biggest reason why many people want pornographybanned is because it supposedly makes the youth more interested in sex than they ought to be. However, sexual curiosity is a legitimate part of a teenager’s life (I know, cause I went through that).
The best way to counteract that is to make sure that what the youth know about sex DOES NOT only come from watching porn. Sex, as described in porn flicks, is all about fun and games. We know that’s not true.
Open discussions about sex and its consequences must be done at home, in school, and in the media. Sex isn’t bad, and the youth must learn that it should be done safely and responsibly. Banning online pornography won’t accomplish that goal.
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