Monday, September 15, 2008

Porn on The Plane

The porn on the plane controversy was bound to come up once airlines started offering passengers internet access on their flights (Berman Post: Delta Airlines Will Become the First Major US Airline to Offer Wi-Fi on Their Entire Domestic (Mainline) Fleet).

It used to be the case that overt sexuality on the air plane was relegated to people joining the "Mile High Club." For those unfamiliar with the term, it refers to people having intimate relations on the plane once it reaches altitude. "Mile High" thus refers to the minimum high at which those relations allow entrance in to this club of sorts. Since these are generally clandestine acts, the biggest nuisance to the other passengers is usually waiting a bit longer to use the lavatory and perhaps a bit of an awkward passing in the aisle.

It also used to be the case that your worst case seating scenario was being flanked on both sides with people of "impressive girth" and a not so pleasant smell. Now imagine that last scenario with one or both of the people sitting next to you surfing the internet for pornography, and (dare I say) reacting in a manor consistent with such activity (feel free to shudder a little bit).

Of course, this has been possible for as long as people have been able to bring media players along with them on flights. It just seems more likely now given the unrestricted access to the internet. The airlines do not want to restrict certain sites in part for fear of the legal fall out over first amendment concerns. As always in these matters, it generally comes down to a question of protecting children from objectionable content while protecting an adults ability to see them.

Let us just collectively hope that no one tries to push this issue and people will leave what ever pornography desires they have to the privacy of their homes.

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