11-06-2005, 10:52 AM
Parents have a new problem: It's 'iPorn'
Source: unknown
When Apple unveiled the video-capable version of its iPod music player this month, it trumpeted the fact that users could download Pixar short films and top music videos, along with recent episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives."
But video clips of a spicier nature quickly became available as free, iPod-friendly downloads. That created an immediate problem for parents already scrambling to keep abreast of their teenagers' computer routines.
This development scarcely surprises technology watchers such as Marcus Rogers, a Purdue University computer-technology instructor and iPod aficionado.
Pornographers are always looking for new distribution channels, he said.
"It's the nature of the industry," Rogers said. "They were early adopters of the Internet and bulletin-board systems, precursors of the Internet. They embrace anything that allows them to distribute this stuff."
Enter the video iPod and Apple's iTunes music-jukebox software with its recently introduced ability to download video files. These have proved irresistible to X-rated Web sites that have begun offering graphic video clips tailored to iTunes and the new iPod.
Pornography isn't unique to the video iPod, though. Users of older iPods and other portable players have long been able to download audio "podcasts," often of an explicit nature. In some such radio-like programs, hosts read X-rated fiction. In others, they dissect fetishistic topics.
What's more, recent-model iPods and other music players are able to display pictures - including pornographic ones - on their full-color screens.
Some tips for parents:
• The iTunes software has parental controls. This restricts what can be downloaded from the iTunes Music Store, an online bazaar featuring music and music videos and audio and video podcasts. The explicit among these are typically labeled as such and can be filtered out. You also can disable podcasts and the music store.
• Kids can get around those controls. One way is by manually obtaining video podcasts and other easily downloadable content. So, Mom and Dad, try to familiarize yourself with iTunes' content areas. The key one is "Library." Click it to see a listing of audio and video content. A search field lets you look for keywords such as "sex."
• Ask to inspect your kids' iPods. Make sure they aren't password-protected to lock you out. Or, if you let your kids use this Screen Lock feature so they can protect personal information while on the go (iPods now serve as digital calendars and address books), ask for those combinations.
Source: unknown
When Apple unveiled the video-capable version of its iPod music player this month, it trumpeted the fact that users could download Pixar short films and top music videos, along with recent episodes of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives."
But video clips of a spicier nature quickly became available as free, iPod-friendly downloads. That created an immediate problem for parents already scrambling to keep abreast of their teenagers' computer routines.
This development scarcely surprises technology watchers such as Marcus Rogers, a Purdue University computer-technology instructor and iPod aficionado.
Pornographers are always looking for new distribution channels, he said.
"It's the nature of the industry," Rogers said. "They were early adopters of the Internet and bulletin-board systems, precursors of the Internet. They embrace anything that allows them to distribute this stuff."
Enter the video iPod and Apple's iTunes music-jukebox software with its recently introduced ability to download video files. These have proved irresistible to X-rated Web sites that have begun offering graphic video clips tailored to iTunes and the new iPod.
Pornography isn't unique to the video iPod, though. Users of older iPods and other portable players have long been able to download audio "podcasts," often of an explicit nature. In some such radio-like programs, hosts read X-rated fiction. In others, they dissect fetishistic topics.
What's more, recent-model iPods and other music players are able to display pictures - including pornographic ones - on their full-color screens.
Some tips for parents:
• The iTunes software has parental controls. This restricts what can be downloaded from the iTunes Music Store, an online bazaar featuring music and music videos and audio and video podcasts. The explicit among these are typically labeled as such and can be filtered out. You also can disable podcasts and the music store.
• Kids can get around those controls. One way is by manually obtaining video podcasts and other easily downloadable content. So, Mom and Dad, try to familiarize yourself with iTunes' content areas. The key one is "Library." Click it to see a listing of audio and video content. A search field lets you look for keywords such as "sex."
• Ask to inspect your kids' iPods. Make sure they aren't password-protected to lock you out. Or, if you let your kids use this Screen Lock feature so they can protect personal information while on the go (iPods now serve as digital calendars and address books), ask for those combinations.
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