"KOREA: Internet video subject to tougher regulation"

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

This article reinforces one of the major problems in the media today: internet pornography. In Seoul, Korea, the government plans to better regulate Internet activities by enhancing video products regulation by using a prior screening and rating system. The government wants the rating system of online visuals to be turned into a new law that divides media products into five categories based on age to restrict youths from viewing obscene and violent contents online. The new bill is expected to take effect in the year 2006 of July once approved by the National Assembly.

I believe this is a great way to prevent kids from being exposed to the Internet’s obscene and violent contents, things in which their minds are not “mature” enough to grasp. The United States should definitely consider coming up with its own system to regulate inappropriate Internet activities...starting from Paris Hilton's porn videos that circulated the web not too long ago..

[Anonymous]

The system is never going to get off the ground, and would be virtually useless even if it does become regulated. Even when the government supposedly blocked websites during the Kim Sun-il affair, video footage was widely circulated on the internet . . .much of it by middle and high school student, most of whom are far more technologically savvy than the government is.

[Anonymous]

I agree that something needs to be done. but what exactly is difficult to say. While we all agree we need to keep porn and gratuitous violence away from our kids, the way to keep it out of our kids hands is the hard part. Awhile back, my students did a report on racism. Many legit sites were blocked by the school firewall due to potential problems based on wording on the sites. Or when it comes time to teach human reproduction, or diseases, many sites are blocked. Researching breast cancer is often times blocked because the word breast is a key word the filters look for. Or working on art history, in some communities, the statue of David is covered due to exposed body parts. What is porn to one person is fine art to another. So instead of finding ways to block the sites, have an International law that violators will be prosecuted for disregarding the law. And make the punishment severe enough where the people will comply. To use an extreme example, the Taliban had very few criminals, due to the punishments.
Perhaps we could make sure the teachers are more aware of what the students are doing, through training, room monitors, IP/website tracking, things like this.
I would hate to have big brother looking at and monitoring what we do. Before long, we will have State approved sites where we get censored info (worse than now).
I definitely don't have the answers, but trusting the gov't to dictate a solution is a disaster waiting to happen.

[Anonymous]

I think it's the reponsibility on all parties involved, such as the parents, teachers, other adults, and maybe even the government if it will work. When I was growing up in Korea, there was never anything on the TV that showed any sexual activities. There were strict rules that prevented the media from showing any indecency. Nowadays, they do. I still feel a little awkward to see anything like that on Korean TV. Why is it okay now when it wasn't back then?

[Author]

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