<p>I walked into my local coffeeshop – that has free wifi – on Thursday. I always go in through the back entrance, which is an actual customer entrance. Glancing around, checking out the line length, the other patrons etc, I notice that one of the regulars is looking at online porn.</p>
<p>I did not go out of my way to look at his screen … it was pretty obvious. He was sitting with his back to the back wall at the back table … but it’s next to the back entrance (duh!). And the bathroom. Meaning that lots of people will actually pass by this table during their visit, even if they are front entrance users.</p>
<p>On my way out, I did make a special effort to confirm that what I saw was actually what I saw, and yes, it was online porn. Still.</p>
<p>So … what would you do? Confrontation? Tell the manager? Ignore?</p>
<p>(I am pretty sure that online porn would be in violation of terms of service for the store’s wifi)</p>
<p>Interesting that my young adult kids are very “live and let live” on the subject. As a mom, although of now older kids, I am pretty horrified that little kids, or teens could see this in their local coffeeshop on the way in to get a hot chocolate.</p>
<p>I am not a parent (I’m 24 so closer generationally to your kids) and I would probably tell the manager. Two reasons:</p>
<p>It is, as you said, probably a violation of the coffee shop’s policy and they would want to know. They may even have set up filters, and would want t know that they’re not working.</p>
<p>More importantly, which is another point you brought up, you said he was near the bathroom and many people could walk by and see it. There could be kids, or people who just don’t want to see that. </p>
<p>As an aside, I can never understand people’s obsession with looking at porn in public. Every year in my high school, there would be that kid who got in trouble for looking at in the school library, and I didn’t understand it then either. Isn’t that kind of private?</p>
<p>I don’t think there is a violation of term of Service. I also wouldn’t have any issue with it if no one else could see it. But since it’s visible, I would mention it to the manager.</p>
<p>Ick, ick, ick on the viewing in a public place! I would have told the manager because they should have set up a block for that sort of thing and apparently they didn’t. No one needs to be hit with that on their way in, least of all younger patrons, and it could well have a detrimental effect on their business! Maybe you could give them a call and let the manager know today.</p>
<p>First off… how long was he looking at porn? I’ve had the occasional experience of hitting a porn site by accident… and I’m always out of there as fast as possible, but is there any possibility you hit that awkward moment?</p>
<p>I think my reaction would have been to say “Surely you didn’t intend for me to see your screen” to the person. </p>
<p>(I’ve been on airplanes and sat and read private memos from high-level corporate executives as they wrote them. I keep hoping I’ll learn something really useful. People really need to learn to think about who can see their screen as they work. There are privacy devices for laptops that would make this a complete non-issue. [3M</a> US: 3M Privacy Filters - Computer Monitor & Laptop Privacy Screen](<a href=“http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/SDP/Privacy_Filters/]3M”>http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/SDP/Privacy_Filters/))</p>
<p>At LEAST long enough for me to go in, stand in line in get coffee, and leave. On a fast day, that’s 5 minutes.</p>
<p>I told the manager yesterday – she and I are friendly as we are both retail management in our plaza – she was appropriately horrified and thanked me for letting her know quietly. She was also able to guess which one of her customers it was – interesting.</p>
<p>i would have to discreetly tell the manager, too. it’s not my business if someone watches porn at home, but it is everyone’s business if it’s in a public area.</p>
<p>I think I’m a pretty live-and-let-live person. However, in the situation you describe, the man was polluting the view for others. He should go home and watch his porn.</p>
<p>There are many ways to access the internet on your laptop without accessing the store’s wifi. If one customer is annoying other customers, the business owner/manager should decided what is acceptable in the store.</p>
<p>Just a little more info. He comes across as “creepy” to me – as I’ve said, he is a regular at this coffee shop.</p>
<p>I think he really doesn’t see very well because his nose is often just inches from his laptop screen. He may not realize that someone with normal vision can see what he’s looking at from 5-8 feet away, enough to know what he’s viewing on his screen. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, I don’t feel this acceptable viewing material in a public place and I am glad to know that most of you (1) agree with me and (2) would have done what I did.</p>