You can’t hardly turn on the television, flip through a magazine in the check-out lane, scroll through your smart phone or computer without being inundated with naked or near-naked images, images that burn themselves onto your mind leaving a residue of filth that’s hard to erase. Responsible parents are aware of these dangers and take precautions by using a filter on their own home’s internet and/or implementing various parental control tools on their own and on their children’s smart phone, tablet, or laptop.
Most companies that cater to the public offer free Wi-Fi to draw in customers. Many of these companies, however, do not look out for the best interest of their patrons, the society in which they live, and the safety of their own employees by filtering pornography, child pornography, and other inappropriate content on their free Wi-Fi networks. Considering the lasting harm that unfiltered internet can bring and the role it plays in damaging society, the question should be asked, “Is it really free?”
On the other hand, there are several responsible companies out there. So before delving into the dark side of the internet, let’s acknowledge two conscientious companies that do filter perverse and harmful content from their free Wi-Fi, in order to protect children and their other patrons. Kudos to Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread. They understand that this isn’t a matter of censorship; this is about corporate responsibility. It’s about caring for their community, their country, and their conscience.
In the United Kingdom, companies that have filtered their Wi-Fi proudly display the “Friendly Wi-Fi” logo. There are two American companies that proclaim themselves to be leaders in Britain’s Internet safety effort by their participation in the “Friendly WiFi” program. Yet these same two companies do not protect American children, the American society, and their American employees by filtering their free Wi-Fi here in the States. These two companies are Starbucks and McDonalds.
McDonald’s recognizes the dangers of unfiltered internet access, yet they neglect to protect their American customers. Jump “across the pond” with me to read the statement found on their UK corporate website. “McDonald's is pleased to become the first company to join Mumsnet's Family Friendly WiFi programme. We have placed filters on our Free WiFi service to prevent inappropriate content from being viewed in our restaurants. These filters are updated daily to give you and your family peace of mind.” Neglecting to also protect the American public is simply irresponsible.
If a company is going to offer Wi-Fi then they need to do so responsibly. When the average first time exposure to pornography is between five to eight years old, it’s a matter of being responsible. When 50% of boys and 33% of girls have seen their first pornographic image before they turn thirteen, it’s a matter of being responsible. When one out of every eight internet searches is a foraging for erotic content to feed the lustful impulses of one’s mind, and one in five mobile searches are for the same, it’s just irresponsible for anyone offering free Wi-Fi to not filter it.
How is unfiltered internet access irresponsible? Consider these things: It fuels the lusts of sexual predators and gives them a place to “just hang out” while that lust grows into an insatiable hunger that they must feed, endangering those around them. Internet pornography encourages further sexual exploitation and violence against children and women. “Authorities said an increasing number of criminals are taking advantage of the anonymity offered by the wireless signals to commit a raft of serious crimes — from identity theft to the sexual solicitation of children.” (To read more click here) Here’s a news story about a man sitting in the Lowe’s parking lot freely accessing their unfiltered internet to view child pornography. Another man was downloading child porn at Starbucks. Filtering “free” Wi-Fi wouldn’t halt such illegal activity, but it would certainly deter it, and make it easier to catch those criminals who engage in it.
As we’ve mentioned before, the internet is also responsible for fueling human trafficking in general, and specifically sex trafficking. Free hotspots are not responsible for these activities but they are responsible for masking the perpetrator, making it more difficult to put a stop to these felonious crimes.
Pornography, like so many other sins/addictions, excites the senses and makes one feel good, but only for a while. Soon that “good” feeling turns into a gnawing of your mind, like a hunger pang that must be fed. It’s more than a craving; it becomes a perceived need. The problem is, like Prader-Willie disease, no matter how much you “eat” you are never full. Pornography becomes a constant and growing hunger; you not only hunger for more but for stronger and more perverted scenes. Before you know it, this addiction takes you further than you want to go, holds you longer than you want to be held, and eventually brings the pain and shame you never expected. It’s as real an addiction as drugs and alcohol, and it just as hard to break because it’s also both physical and psychological.
Addiction to pornography is responsible for the breakdown of marriages, the destruction of families, and the ruin of childhood innocence. In part, it’s responsible for the unraveling of a nation and the degradation of moral decline. It’s hard enough to protect your family today without the added exposure that the unfiltered internet imminently brings.
Many studies show that pornographic material has a destructive impact on the mental, emotional, and sexual health of adolescents. Even at young ages it is addictive and can lead to criminal behavior. It skews the view of healthy relationships and brings unrealistic expectations into play. Unfiltered internet is partly responsible for these facts:
28% of 16-17 year olds have been unintentionally exposed to online porn.
15% of boys and 9% of girls have seen child pornography.
32% of boys and 18% of girls have seen bestiality online.
39% of boys and 23% of girls have seen sexual bondage online.
83% of boys and 57% of girls have seen group sex online.
69% of boys and 55% of girls have seen same-sex intercourse online.
Most statistics throughout this article were found hereat “Covenant Eyes.”
This should leave no question in your mind; your home needs a filter; the places you frequent with free Wi-Fi need filters. It’s the responsible thing to do.
McDonald’s and Starbucks need to know that you will hold them accountable for their actions. They aren’t just serving food; they’re serving filth! They must start protecting the families they serve. Now that you know the danger they knowingly expose your family, and hundreds of thousands of other families, to, you need to take a stand. Talk to your local McDonald’s and Starbucks managers letting them know you won’t tolerate inappropriate Wi-Fi content while in their businesses. Remind them that they’re not the only hamburger or coffee joint in town. Remind them, it’s not about censorship; it’s about corporate responsibility, and that you have a responsibility as well.
“Enough is Enough” has a petition calling Starbucks and McDonald’s to corporate responsible action. Add your voice to the more than 18,000 other voices who have already signed this petition calling for McDonald’s and Starbucks to establish “a safe ‘Porn-Free Wi-Fi’ environment in all of your U.S. locations.” Sign this petition today; the link to this petition is here. Their goal is at least 20,000 signatures; I was number 18,490. What number are you?
Big companies aren’t the only ones who need to be responsible. You and your family are in danger if your home’s internet service is unfiltered. You need a filter; American Family Online offers great protection with their filtering service. Be responsible; protect your family today; go to www.AFO.netand get your home’s internet filtered now.
photo credit: Finally via photopin (license)
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