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Bill Tancer is the general manager of global research at Hitwise and a weekly columnist for Time Magazine.
For information on Bill's upcoming book "Click", visit the following booksellers: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, or BookSense.
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Internet Pornography and Community Standard
July 01, 2008 12:39 PM
In a novel approach, a defense attorney in an obscenity trial in Florida is seeking to admit search data from Google to prove that adult content has become an acceptable community standard. Specifically, the defense charted Google searches for "orgy" and "apple pie." (Of course, "orgy" queries significantly outpaced searches for that most patriotic of desserts.)
The first thing that struck me about this proposed method of establishing community standards is the arbitrary nature of selecting the terms to compare. Depending on the side I represented, I could, through clever selection, find those terms that would prove my version of community standard.
Perhaps the more important issue is whether the concept of "community standard" is archaic when the analysis involves Internet behavior. As we established here, adult websites have become one of the largest categories of sites in market share of visits, accounting for over 11 percent of all U.S. Internet visits on any given day. The Internet has essentially eroded the geographic boundaries that existed in obtaining adult content.
If you would like more insights into Internet behavior and adult content online, you can read the first chapter of my book, "Click: What Millions of People Do Online and Why it Matters," by clicking here.
July 1, 2008 in Adult Entertainment | Permalink | User Comments (11)
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Was this news or a paid advertisement for the author's book? Thought it had a news-ish observation, I'm leaning toward the latter.
Posted by: Fatesrider | Jul 2, 2008 4:02:13 AM
I think the Internet is a much more accurate representation of community standards than visits to sex shops or adult movie theaters. I bet we can learn a lot more about what people are really like from Internet behavior than what they say or don't say are their standards in more public places. The Internet has a way of revealing the truth about people.
Posted by: Daisy Whitney | Jul 2, 2008 12:19:46 PM
The is a mirror or what interest people. In public people have to be careful about what they say or do. Internet allows you to look at what you what. First Amendment all the way!
Posted by: bthumber | Jul 2, 2008 12:35:34 PM
How do you know what the "community standard" is? Do you go and vote someplace? Does somebody take some kinda poll???? What???
Posted by: Ted in AR | Jul 2, 2008 6:14:48 PM
Who flippin' cares?!?
Posted by: Adrienne | Jul 2, 2008 6:23:34 PM
they did call it a stimulus check...
Posted by: Jason | Jul 2, 2008 6:38:39 PM
Please ban this guy from trying to sell more his annoying book.
Posted by: benjalamelami | Jul 2, 2008 6:51:52 PM
This is a non story... The other week I was hearing the same thing but about video games (that there's a rise in the percentage of purchased video games for PS3, XBOX and the Wii...
Like video games, Porn is cheaper than filling your gas tank and taking a trip.. :)
Posted by: Christopher Powers | Jul 2, 2008 11:17:51 PM
ok, enough with the non-articles for no other reason than to whore your book. I have no problem with you putting a plug in while you give me some information but really, what is here other than an ad?
Posted by: userid4me | Jul 3, 2008 7:17:18 AM
Who determines whether or not internet pornography is a community standard and what is the criteria for making it so? Is it because as quoted 11% of visits to the internet is for pornography?
Posted by: Uchenna Peters | Jul 3, 2008 12:53:28 PM
@bthumber; Your post seems to say that internet has allowed people express themselves. Would you be saying that is a good or a bad thing even when the internet allows people access to things that might be a bad influence on society considering that the society is not only for the adults and there are kids that learn from adult lifestyle?
Posted by: uchpet | Jul 3, 2008 1:01:06 PM
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