What would YOU do?

<p>My brother always said he was just going to do it until he needed glasses. Lol.</p>

<p>Real life me would have said and done nothing. Internet me would have said in a very loud voice, “Could you PLEASE not look at porn in public???”</p>

<p>Since I am not a member of the free computer use police in any coffeeshop, then I would see myself with 2 choices.

  1. Visit the site if it interested me or
  2. Ignore it if it didn’t.</p>

<p>After that, then I choose whether to continue to patronize that shop.</p>

<p>Unless this coffeeshop is run by 10 yr olds, then they know what sites may possibly be accessed, and choose to permit it. Do we really believe the store is unaware such a thing might be happening?</p>

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<p>I think most people think that others watch porn in the privacy of their own home. People who are playing with fire may watch porn in their cubicle at work. But I certainly wouldn’t normally expect a person to be watching porn in a public eating establishment.</p>

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<p>They may be people whose live in homes where the layout doesn’t provide opportunities to use a computer in privacy.</p>

<p>^^^Clearly you people don’t work in public libraries. Many, many people (and some of them would amaze you) go into the public library and look at porn. There is much discussion among librarians as to what to do about it. There are those who argue that it is protected information that the public has a right to have access to, others argue that it should be banned. A more nuanced argument, and one I have most sympathy with is that it information that the public should have access to, but that we can design library spaces to limited who can see the screen, or conversely to make the screen so public that only the most brazen would try to watch. In addition, any 'behavioral issues" such as acting out, disturbing other patrons (including allowing them to inadvertantly see the porn), noises, etc can be dealt with under a code of patron conduct. Please note that this argument only includes the legal forms of porn. Illegal actions are still illegal if done at a public library.</p>

<p>I just saw lololu’s post and it is correct. I work part-time as a library assistant and at my interview they asked me if it would bother me if people used the computers to look up whatever (I forget how they phrased it). I had to think for a minute to realize what they meant and I was so surprised. Apparently the computers for kids under 13 have filters and kids library cards are also restricted (not sure to what age) and the “guest” passes are set to children’s level. If you use our own adult card, or ask for an adult pass you can view whatever you want, and people do. In one library there are 4 screens that face the worker side of the checkout desk. I couldn’t believe one guy was looking at porn where I could see him and where anybody walking by could see. I mentioned that they need to screen off the compartments so other people can’t see without making an effort too. Based on that, I think the coffee shop probably allows it, though maybe they should warn patrons by a sign, that “unrestricted internet is available”</p>

<p>I don’t think libraries or coffee shops should restrict what (adult) patrons look at, as long as other patrons are not subjected to the sight of materials which might reasonably be offensive. </p>

<p>And no, I don’t think it is incumbent on the other person to have to “ignore” material in their view.</p>

<p>People who want to view sensitive materials should be seated in areas where the screen is not visible to other patrons. How to make sure the porn viewers restrict their behavior to viewing only is, I guess, the librarians’ problem. Lol.</p>

<p>“Would you like to sit in the porn or the no-porn section?” (recollecting the days when one had to choose between the smoking and nonsmoking section in the restaurant)</p>

<p>^^^Oh dear. I’d really rather not hear about today’s specials…</p>

<p>Is that a small or is that a grande? Ewww…</p>

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<p>I LOVE the internet you!</p>