Pornography

[Racoon]

Ok, I'm not against pornography. It has its place. :)

But it also seems to be a little too pervasive, if not perverse. :phones:

 

Here are some stats for Pornography.

 

$57 Billion dollar Industry

 

4.2 Million websites - 12% of ALL websites are Pornographic :friday:

 

68 million daily searches - 25% of ALL searches

 

1.5 Billion monthly downloads - 35% of downloads

 

As a Student of Sociology and Psycholgy, I would like to garner some input from esteemed Hypographers

What do You think?

Is it a problem?

Is it out of control?

What is your Analysis?

 

It IS Huge business, and that can't be argued; But the effects and ramifications can.

Also there are problems with "sex workers" that arise as well. and Exploitation and Compensation factors

 

here is my Statistical source:

 

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html

 

I prefer keep this discussion rational. :)

But thats wishful thinking...

[Racoon]

I see several disturbing statistics! :(

 

11 years old - Average age of first Internet Porn exposure! :evil: (including my nephew who's 10)

 

10% of Adults who "Admit" internet sex addiction! :eek: -could be much higher than that...

 

80% of 15 - 17 year olds having multiple "Hard Core" exposures.

 

Easy ways for young kids to be exposed by searching names like "Pokeman" and "Action Man"

 

20% of men view porn at work.

13% of women view porn at work.

 

Are we becoming Porn-addicted due to the accessabilty factors?

Or would people with compulsive tendencies become addicted anywayz?

 

This isn't just a guy thing either, although they are the majority consumer.

Women are almost just as active too... 1 in 3

 

I never had Internet growing up. I haven't had internet for more than 1 year.

Except at school, but that was for schoolwork. So I think the long term consequences won't be fully realized for a while yet...:confused:

 

edited because I had a little funny. :hihi:

It was a moment thing. not to be misconstrued...

[akahenaton]

Ok, I'm not against pornography. It has its place. :evil:

But it also seems to be a little too pervasive, if not perverse. :eek:

 

Here are some stats for Pornography.

 

$57 Billion dollar Industry

 

4.2 Million websites - 12% of ALL websites are Pornographic :confused:

 

68 million daily searches - 25% of ALL searches

 

1.5 Billion monthly downloads - 35% of downloads

 

As a Student of Sociology and Psycholgy, I would like to garner some input from esteemed Hypographers

What do You think?

Is it a problem?

Is it out of control?

What is your Analysis?

 

It IS Huge business, and that can't be argued; But the effects and ramifications can.

Also there are problems with "sex workers" that arise as well. and Exploitation and Compensation factors

 

here is my Statistical source:

 

http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html

 

I prefer keep this discussion rational. :hihi:

But thats wishful thinking...

 

If 68million- (25% of ALL searches) are pornographic searches what are the rest of the searches composed of?

ie:50%-124million are purchases?

[Rebiu]

These are some interesting facts.

 

Lets consider other highly intelligent animals such as dolphins and the bonobo we find that they are very highly sexed and sexually oriented. The bonobo will engage in group sexual activity when they find food to alleviated competitive hostilities. Male dolphins will sexually assault human swimmers in the water. I believe sex is an integral part of the human condition. With this in mind the question is what level interest in sexuality is normal, healthy, ect?

 

If one considers the perspective of man as being highly social and consequently highly sexual I would say these numbers are low. If we assume that the desire to see pornography is unnatural, immoral, and unhealthy then I would say the numbers are dangerously high and are indicative of a serious societal illness.

 

I believe that addiction is the symptom of an unbalanced outlook on life. It may find its actualization in pornography, gambling, exercise, drugs, religion and many other activities. The problem is not the manifestation of the addiction but in the erroneous thinking of the individual.

 

Considering the access children have, I suggest that is a parent’s job to decide what is appropriate. Furthermore I would bet that level of exposure has always been there through other media. If a 17 year old has not been exposed when will they be? When daddy explains about mommies and daddies loving each other very much?

[Rebiu]

 

20% of men view porn at work. (InfiniteNow??)

13% of women view porn at work.

There was a local judge that was fired last year for looking at porn at work. I was curious as to why this violation of workplace rules got the story on the front page of the paper. He said he was overstressed and did it to relax. If I had an employee doing this I would treat it as any other unproductive distraction, like playing solitaire, unless others are being exposed to obscene material. In that case it is a much more serious issue.

[Racoon]

I looked over again the statistical source.

And I question how accurate it is.

 

It could just be a ballbark figure. :confused:

 

Does anyone have any other statistics ?

[CraigD]

I see several disturbing statistics!

Before reacting to these claimed statistics, I’d have to determine they’re valid.

 

The source Racoon links to, http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html, provides no description of the statistical methods it used, if it is a direct study, or the primary sources it used, if it is not. It contains no citations, most notably no credentials of whoever produced the claimed statistics.

 

At least on of the statistics, such as “Christians who said pornography is a major problem in the home” (47%) seem hopelessly subjective. Others, are not statistics at all, but simply unsupported claims, such as “Women, far more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs”, contradicting existing, well controlled statistical evidence.

 

It’s author Jerry Ropelato, is not a trained statistician, but is well described as “an accomplished public speaker, recognized anti-pornography expert.” As founder and CEO of a site that appears to derive substantial income from the advertising and promotion of internet filtering software, I suspect that he is biased.

 

Recall that major search engine providers such as google.com have successfully denied requests from the US Dept. of Justice to provide the sort of statistics Ropelato claims to possess. I think it unlikely that Ropelato’s claims are valid. I believe they are a veiled advertisement for internet filtering software and publications.

[InfiniteNow]

The attraction of porn has a lot to do with our society, and the shame people are induced into for having sexual thoughts. It might be religion, it might me some carry over from past puritanical values, it might be other things in combination, but when we are taught to feel shame for a feeling that is so natural it creates cognitive dissonance and we seek to avoid the dissonance.

 

Think "forbidden fruit." You tell them they cannot have it, they want it that much more. It's stigmatized.

 

Porn is an outlet. It is a way to release the internal pressure so many keep on themselves about their desires. It is an exploitation not so much of the people in the industry (not saying this doesn't happen), but of each of our evolved mechanisms inclining us toward reproduction for survival.

 

 

What is enormously interesting to me is how specific some people's fetishes have become. Something for everyone. The question really is "Is this art imitating life, or life imitating art?" It's both.

 

 

Cheers. :)

[Celeste]

Originally Posted by CraigD

Before reacting to these claimed statistics, I’d have to determine they’re valid.

 

My thoughts exactly. I searched alittle further to see if I could find some stats from sources other then religious groups or filtering companies.

Here are a few I found:

 

* 87% of university students polled have virtual sex mainly using Instant Messenger, webcam, and telephone (“CampusKiss and Tell” University and College Sex Survey. Released on February 14, 2006.

 

* According to comScore Media Metrix, http://www.comscore.com/

there were 63.4 million unique visitors to adult websites in December of 2005, reaching 37.2% of the Internet audience.

 

* According to comScore Media Metrix, 71.9 million people visited adult sites in August 2005, reaching 42.7 percent of the Internet audience.

 

* According to comScore Media Metrix, Internet users viewed over 15 billion pages of adult content in August 2005.

 

* More than 32 million unique individuals visited a porn site in Sept. of 2003. Nearly 22.8 million of them were male (71 percent), while 9.4 million adult site visitors were female (29 percent)

(Nielsen/Net Ratings, Sept. 2003).

 

* The total porn industry - estimates from $4 billion to $10 billion (National Research Council Report, 2002).

 

* The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children revealed, in a June 2005 study, that 40% of arrested child pornography possessors had both sexually victimized children and were in possession of child pornography.

 

* Approximately 20% of all Internet pornography involves children (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)

 

* In 2005, worldwide revenue from mobile phone pornography is expected to rise to $1 billion and could grow to three times that number or more within a few years. (The Wall Street Journal. May 12, 2005.)

 

* 89% of sexual solicitations were made in either chat rooms or Instant Messages. Only 25% of youth who received sexual solicitation told a parent (Pew Study reported in JAMA, 2001).

 

* Playboy's website, which offers free glimpses of it playmates, averages about five million hits a day.

 

* General Motors, the world's largest company, sells more graphic sex films every year than does Larry Flynt, owner of Hustler. For instance, the 8.7million Americans who subscribe to DirecTV, a GM subsidiary, buy $200 million a year in pay-per-view sex movies.

 

 

From PBS FrontLine, American Porn, February, 2002, updated February, 2004

 

“It's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT&T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars…it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy.

 

It's pornography. And with adult movies, magazines, retail stores, and the growth of the Internet, business is booming.”

[Racoon]

Excellent post Celeste!

And I completely agree with CraigD's skepticism of the Stats I originally provided. (don't forget I shared those as well :eek_big:)

 

Can anyone provide some more Statistics from credible sources?

 

And I believe that it would be near impossible to find a truely accurate statistical analysis - as much of Pornography can be done with Blackmarket Economics. :lightning

 

a couple questions I posed as well:

 

What about Porn Industry Employees?

Should there be some form of OSHA type regulations?

 

Are sex workers being unfairly exploited? or is it their own choosing?

How are Taxes paid? and what about benefits?

 

What type of long term effect might this "easy" access and "solicitation" have to/for the next generation?

 

Is it even a problem? Do we unfairly stygmatize Sex?

among others.

 

I/We appreciate the good initial responses. :singer:

[Cedars]

a couple questions I posed as well:

 

What about Porn Industry Employees?

Should there be some form of OSHA type regulations?

 

Are sex workers being unfairly exploited? or is it their own choosing?

How are Taxes paid? and what about benefits?

 

What type of long term effect might this "easy" access and "solicitation" have to/for the next generation?

 

Is it even a problem? Do we unfairly stygmatize Sex?

among others.

 

I/We appreciate the good initial responses. :confused:

 

California Adult Film Industry regulations and complaint info.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/adultfilmindustry.html

 

Is it just the adult film industry or is it a part of the film industry itself? We have heard of the casting couch and rumors of it affecting both female and male actors trying to get a break looking for mainstream roles.

 

Then there was the Tracy Lords issue a few years back. She exploited the adult film industry as it demanded ID showing a person was at least 18. She admitted to obtaining forged documents to get the job at 15. How many well known actors/actresses have these pasts? Didnt Arnold do some nude pics? Didnt Sly Stallone sue to bury his past? Isnt it Pamela Anderson who got so pissed when her ex sold their amature films?

 

So there is exploitation on both sides of this issue.

 

Taxes and whether someone pays them isnt an Adult Film industry issue alone. Neither are benefits.

 

What effect did brothels have on societies next generation when you look back on the wild west? What can have a lasting effect is denial of the attraction and responsible guidance to youth who will be exploring these things sooner or later.

 

There are problems with pornography. There are problems with gambling. Any time there is an opportunity to make money, there will be criminal elements involved in some aspect. And there will always be people who make a decision to pose for these things and then regret it later. There will be people who get hurt badly through the choices they make. Informed or not.

 

I wonder about some of these people who exhibit themselves so, and what it is that makes them want to be looked at by some of the people who purchase these products.

 

But I have read things like Hustler, Playgirl, and watched a few movies myself. And sometimes these magazines hit issues hard and long before mainstream media issues any type of report. The movie, The People vs Larry Flynt was an interesting watch. People can and do learn positives via some of these publications, whether its about safe sex, or the fun stuff, like games partners play together and variety. People learn they are not alone in some of their desires. I learned a few tricks myself. (no. I wont tell you my favorites).

 

So its a give and take industry. There is alot of demand. There are regulations just like there are speeding laws. Not everyone will follow them but by and large the majority do not inflict harm on others.

[Celeste]

Thanks Racoon, likewise of course, it's also a great thread idea. :confused:

As we've agreed upon, credible stats are hard to come by...even more so because the industry is ever changing and growing world wide.

 

And to Cedars...as always, excellent post! :shrug:

 

 

<I don't mean to be a hit and run artist, I'm having major issues with my computer freezing up, and will post more later>

[Rebiu]

a couple questions I posed as well:

 

What about Porn Industry Employees?

I worked as a porn actor for a time when I lived in Los Angeles.

Should there be some form of OSHA type regulations?

In all the situations I worked in all the actors were contractual labor no employees.

 

Are sex workers being unfairly exploited? or is it their own choosing?

How are Taxes paid? and what about benefits?

There are endless lines of people eager to be in the industry. Some of the small town amateur internet stuff may have some coerced participants but I seriously doubt the mainstream media porn has much of this.

 

My experience was that most female porn actresses have already tried modeling, regular acting, college, and stripping. They are usually determined failures that are attractive but not very smart. Porn pays well for women, but only for a little bit. Once you freshness goes there is no real money to be made. Most of them go back to stripping or prostitution to try and maintain their party and drug lifestyle they developed from a few month of high rolling porn.

[InfiniteNow]

I worked as a porn actor for a time when I lived in Los Angeles.

Would you be able to post a link with some titles in which you played a role?

[Racoon]

Would you be able to post a link with some titles in which you played a role?

 

I appreciate you adding information InfiniteNow. ;)

And statistics

Please do not let this get into an insult match. :eek_big:

 

We all know some people are actors, while others are viewers.

 

THIS IS BIG BUSINESS!$$$$$

With many Social Ramifications... :hihi:

 

Statistics and Links to credible sources are what is preffered.

Do not let someone Goad you InfiniteNow...

You are much too Science Oriented! ;)

 

This is serious :)

[InfiniteNow]

Do not let someone Goad you InfiniteNow...

You are much too Science Oriented! :)

 

This is serious

:hihi:

:eek_big:

[TheBigDog]

This is serious :eek:

I will drop the idea of mixing this thread with an Avatar contest then.

 

Bill