A campaign to sa国际传媒渃hild-proof pornsa国际传媒� by locking down unsecured wireless networks could kick off in Chilliwack before going nationwide sa国际传媒� if there is enough buy-in.
Two members of the Primary Prevention committee, a sub-committee of Chilliwack Child and Youth Committee (CYC), were at city hall Tuesday pitching that bold idea to council.
sa国际传媒淲e are not on a crusade against porn,sa国际传媒� Jocelyn Thomas, a Primary Prevention committee member of the CYC. sa国际传媒淲e are not against sex. In fact our committee took a vote sa国际传媒� and we recommend it!sa国际传媒� she added with a laugh. sa国际传媒淲e are on a crusade not to let porn be the default sex educator for our society.sa国际传媒�
The two were at city hall seeking support for securing wireless access sites after finding out many public places and businesses around Chilliwack have unsecured wifi, where degrading and violent porn can be accessed by any kid with a cell phone.
A B.C. Adolescent Health Survey showed that 12 per cent of teens with a phone in 2018 sa国际传媒渦sed their devicesa国际传媒� at school to watch pornography.
Locking down access and instituting parental controls and content filtering over the household wifi is one way.
sa国际传媒淲e think businesses and public places also need to find ways to block porn sites,sa国际传媒� Thomas continued. sa国际传媒淲e think porn should be accessed through third-party authentication. We call this child proofing porn.sa国际传媒�
The committeesa国际传媒檚 research indicated that unsecured wifi connections could be accessed at the Leisure Centre, as well as some government and health agency locations, and popular businesses. City officials checked on the Leisure Centre wifi situation, and confirmed after the meeting, that it was not the City of Chilliwack wifi that was unsecured, however but that of a nearby business.
Next steps of the committee will include contacting businesses to request that they restrict their wifi.
sa国际传媒淲e need allies to help make this a national issue,sa国际传媒� Thomas said. sa国际传媒淲e know that jurisdictions in the U.K. are bringing in nationwide third party authentication. People can access porn but they have to produce ID proving they are over the age of majority.sa国际传媒�
She pointed out that Chilliwack was just selected to host a sa国际传媒楥ities Fit for Childrensa国际传媒� conference.
sa国际传媒淐ould there be a better issue to identify Chilliwack as a city fit for children than to have a national campaign to child proof porn begin right here?sa国际传媒� Thomas asked. sa国际传媒淚 guess you and we hold the answer to that. Our committee would be happy to meet with council if you would like to push foward through the Union of B.C. Municipalities.sa国际传媒�
The presentation was received by council, with Mayor Ken Popove commenting: sa国际传媒淲ell said and with good information.sa国际传媒�
Coun. Bud Mercer said he was not surprised but he was sa国际传媒渟till shocked,sa国际传媒� to hear about the free access.
sa国际传媒淚s it epidemic?sa国际传媒�
Thomas said she didnsa国际传媒檛 want to call out the name of the businesses.
Coun. Jason Lum said it was correct to call the challenge an sa国际传媒渆pidemic,sa国际传媒� as someone who works in the information tech industry.
sa国际传媒淪ociety as a whole needs to take it seriously,sa国际传媒� he said, adding that something is needed to balance the publicsa国际传媒檚 increasing need demand for wireless access as a right.
It could be sa国际传媒渞obust content filteringsa国际传媒� as part of the answer.
Coun. Jeff Shields said he thought there must be a number of businesses sa国际传媒渨ho have no idea thatsa国际传媒檚 what people are using their wifi for,sa国际传媒� and he thanked the presenters for bringing it to the citysa国际传媒檚 attention.
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