Some years ago, I had a lengthy article attacking pornography published under a nom de plume in a respectable journal. A certain amount of basic research had unfortunately been necessary.For me this is a tricky area because being somebody who is 'as near to being a libertarian as an evangelical can be', it brings two massive areas of belief into full frontal conflict.
On the one hand I would prefer to see pornography banned but another part of me sees this as an individual's decision.
So if we move from generalities to the fact that, 'according to one recent survey, between 60 and 90 per cent of under-16s have viewed hardcore online pornography' - we clearly have a major social problem.
The distortion to youngsters and their development is for me, sufficient of itself to justify draconian methods if necessary, for governments to heavily restrict access to porn on the Internet. I am fully aware that this has a great many technical problems but the effort must be made.
The argument of 'parental controls' is spurious as few parents are bright enough to exercise this option - and those who do, how can they possibly stop Little Jimmy from accessing the noxious materials at the house of a friend?
The problem is that children are curious beings!
