Fighting Internet Pornography...

Instead of taking advantage of the hour-early bedtime I should be getting tonight, I have been online reading and researching the CP80 Foundation after following a link sent to me by my father-in-law.

This foundation addresses one of my deepest concerns for our society and my family: Internet pornography.



When I was completing my master's of social work, research was beginning to surface about the addictive nature of pornography. The field was all-a-buzz about long-term effects, cycles, and interventions. The research and findings continue.

In our LDS married student stake at the University of Utah, the stake Relief Society presidency I was a part of had many meetings with our stake presidency about how to address the issue of the internet and pornography. It was one of their major concerns. They devoted ward conferences to the subject and focused many efforts toward education and prevention.

And as time goes on, I am aware of more and more wonderful people who struggle with this darkness that has invaded their lives.

Internet pornography is running rampant with little to no regulation into the homes and minds of children and adults everywhere. In a society where morality is falling at an alarming rate, we have yet to see the long-term effects of this "internet generation" and our its exposure to sexually saturated media. But from my viewpoint, it doesn't look good.

As a mother, I feel helpless when I think about how I will protect my family. Internet use is such a central part of navigating through life right now, and there is so much good that comes from such amazing technology. Yet there is so much that is harmful, dark, and addictive--and I don't have much confidence in filters. But movements like this are encouraging and make me more hopeful...

From their website comes this description of the foundation:

"The CP80 Foundation formulates and advances solutions, strategies, and initiatives meant to evolve the Internet and offer parents better choices for protecting their children from unwanted Internet pornography."

As explained by Paul's dad, they are working toward creating a 'channel' for internet pornography so that we can 'order' the internet 'channels' we want in our home. Internet pornography could be limited to one channel, which could be blocked from use. For example, instead of .com or .net, a .xxx

(You can imagine how the profit-driven pornography industry is going to react to this...)

In conjunction with other interested parties at BYU, they have succeeded in getting the international group that maintains the internet to open a charter application for them. It is called the CyberSafety Constituency Petition and Charter. This month and until April 5th is the public comment period for the charter. Please go to their website cp80.org so you can understand their proposal and voice your support by sending an email about something that matters.

The email address: cyber-safety-petition@icann.org

Here is the email I sent:

As a member of American society I treasure the liberty to make my own choices. There have been times when I have felt that liberty violated through exposure to unwanted materials on the internet.
As a mother of four young children I am anxious about the sexually saturated material that permeates the internet. While I want them to learn and experience through the wonderful resources available online, I am frightened about a resource that is so full of harmful and hazardous material.
In defense of my right to choose what enters my home, I fully support the Safety Charter (CyberSafety Constituency Petition and Charter).
Please help me protect myself and my children from unwanted material. Help us have a choice in what the internet brings into our home.
Thank you,
Amy Frandsen


... and thank YOU for reading my rant.