Steve Jobs and Porn

[macswitcha2]

Just read an article that makes me respect Steve Jobs even more. He offers reasons why Apple is not in the business of selling Porn.

http://marcestes.com/2010/06/08/steve-jobs-takes-a-stand-amen/

 

[flopticalcube]

I disagree. Like many things about Apple, he is restricting freedom of choice.

 

[DylanLikesPorn]

I agree with Steve's sentiment regarding pornography. I think that is common sense not to want to have porn readily accessible to minors, but I think most kids are smart enough to know they can use Safari to look for porn. Steve tries, he really does. I applaud the man.

But for the rest of the older folks, porn serves its useful purpose. Think of porn as a relief valve to help release excess pressure. And porn helps to curb sexual predation and violence.

 

[-Ryan-]

This is a disturbing article, with even more disturbing comments. If Apple want to have any input in the approval process for their store, they should be doing it in an unbiased and impartial manner, focussing only on the quality of the Apps, rather than the content.

Morals are an ambiguous concept and extremely personal. Why one person feels he is in the position to decide upon the morals for tens of millions of customers internationally is beyond me.

The only freedom Steve is giving us, is freedom from choice. End of thread.

 

[chaosbunny]

I disagree. Like many things about Apple, he is restricting freedom of choice.

+1

If Steve/Apple doesn't like it that means you don't get it on your iPad/iPhone. That's called censorship. And somehow I'm afraid that the appstore concept will find its way to Mac OS X too... which means I'll have to leave the platform, if that happens.

I still like Apples computers & OS, but the company and especially Steve Jobs deserve less and less sympathy in my opinion.

 

[Winni]

Just read an article that makes me respect Steve Jobs even more. He offers reasons why Apple is not in the business of selling Porn.

It would only make me respect him if he would allow other - third party - AppStores for the iGadgets. It's not about porn. It's about censorship, not allowing any competition and it's about imposing his pseudo-code of morale on all of his customers, disrespecting their freedom and interests.

If he doesn't want to sell porn or any of the other applications that have been banned from the AppStore for arbitrary reasons, fine, I'm not asking him to do it. But I demand that he opens the infrastructure of his ecosystem so that others can sell the stuff that Apple does not want to sell or distribute.

Maybe it's a hard concept for Americans to understand, but customers also have rights, not only the company that sells a product.

 

[UTclassof89]

And, the age-old question: where's the line between "porn" and "art"?

And why should Apple decide that for us: the answer is probably different for everyone (if you're from Kansas, 'porn' is any bare skin between neck and ankle).

 

[DylanLikesPorn]

All this discussion about porn reminds me I have something to do.

 

[niuniu]

If Jobs doesn't like porn then he shouldn't watch it. Not try to stop everyone else from watching it like some sort of nazi or brat.

Jobs has done good things for Apple. But I think he's peaked and I won't be sad when he leaves.

 

[-aggie-]

Maybe it's a hard concept for Americans to understand, but customers also have rights, not only the company that sells a product.

Huh? It’s customers you wrote, correct?

Customer: Entity that receives or consumes products (goods or services) and has the ability to choose between different products and suppliers. See also buyer.

Apple doesn’t owe you crap. If they decided to shut down tomorrow and stop selling anything, you’d have no RIGHT to tell them not to or DEMAND them to keep selling to you. What’s not to get here?

 

[Bonch]

But for the rest of the older folks, porn serves its useful purpose. Think of porn as a relief valve to help release excess pressure. And porn helps to curb sexual predation and violence.

Tell that to the victims of Ted Bundy.

 

[GFLPraxis]

I disagree. Like many things about Apple, he is restricting freedom of choice.

No, it doesn't. Steve doesn't do anything to actively block you from accessing porn. He simply refuses to put it in his own store.

Simple as that.

That's his choice, and I give the man respect for it. If you want your porn, he's not actively blocking you from getting it elsewhere, he just won't sell it.

No one is criticizing Wal-Mart for not selling porn.

If Jobs doesn't like porn then he shouldn't watch it. Not try to stop everyone else from watching it like some sort of nazi or brat.

+1

If Steve/Apple doesn't like it that means you don't get it on your iPad/iPhone. That's called censorship.

These comments are getting sillier and sillier. You're all getting on your "Freedom" soapbox and criticizing Jobs for something he isn't doing.

 

[duncyboy]

No, it doesn't. Steve doesn't do anything to actively block you from accessing porn. He simply refuses to put it in his own store.

Simple as that.

That's his choice, and I give the man respect for it. If you want your porn, he's not actively blocking you from getting it elsewhere, he just won't sell it.

No one is criticizing Wal-Mart for not selling porn.

These comments are getting sillier and sillier. You're all getting on your "Freedom" soapbox and criticizing Jobs for something he isn't doing.

+1

If you don't like it, buy someone else's product that doesn't have such restrictions. Vote with your wallet, so to speak.

Apple aren't trying to banish porn or adult content. It's just something they're not having on their platform. If you don't like that stance, it's a competitive market- find an alternative

 

[niuniu]

These comments are getting sillier and sillier. You're all getting on your "Freedom" soapbox and criticizing Jobs for something he isn't doing.

Jobs has been, and continues to be restrictive with his policies, especially with mobile products. Find it silly all you want.

 

[ThomasJL]

Steve Jobs is a hypocrite. He is against porn apps, but completely OK with an app designed to kill people with sniper rifles. The name of that app is BulletFlight, and has been available in the app store for over a year. In the warped mind of Steve Jobs, an app designed to literally kill people is OK, but porn is bad.

 

[duncyboy]

...an app designed to literally kill people...

Quote of the Day

 

[Prof.]

If you need watch porn on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, or if you feel that you need to have some digital porn on hand whenever you leave the house, you have issues.

I watch porn, but I am not a freak about it. I do not need to have it downloaded on my mobile devices so I can "get off" on the go. No one needs to have access to porn 24/7. I fully respect and support Jobs' decision to block porn on Apple's iDevices.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

If you need watch porn on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, or if you feel that you need to have some digital porn on hand whenever you leave the house, you have issues.

I watch porn, but I am not a freak about it. I do not need to have it downloaded on my mobile devices so I can "get off" on the go. No one needs to have access to porn 24/7. I fully respect and support Jobs' decision to block porn on Apple's iDevices.

Missed the point entirely.

 

[Prof.]

Missed the point entirely.

Oooooooooookaaaaaaay. Sorry.

 

[*LTD*]

Steve Jobs is a hypocrite.

So what.

Steve Jobs is a hypocrite. He is against porn apps, but completely OK with an app designed to kill people with sniper rifles. The name of that app is BulletFlight, and has been available in the app store for over a year. In the warped mind of Steve Jobs, an app designed to literally kill people is OK, but porn is bad.

Sounds like someone's been hittin' the porn a bit too hard when he should be staring at a dictionary.

In any event, it all comes down to the consumer, and at last check, they can't keep their hands off Apple gear. Why? Because it actually offers something that's desirable and exciting, unlike a lot of the garbage churned out by the also-rans. It makes more sense to complain about lousy interfaces, ugly design, and the ocean of derivative crap that tech companies try to foist on consumers. There is a shocking lack of quality and/or attention to design outside of Cupertino. Which is far more tragic than Apple trying to keep a lid on porn in an effort to remain a bit more family-oriented, regardless of how imperfectly they might pull it off after all.

Maybe it's a hard concept for Americans to understand, but customers also have rights, not only the company that sells a product.

You keep posting nonsense, yet you continue to hang out on an Apple fansite. ISSUES!

Is it "Winni" or Whiny?

Apple is under no obligation to address anyone's rights outside of consumer protection in terms of guarantees, warranties, pricing, etc.

Don't like Apple's approach? Then don't buy the device. Otherwise, you're bound to Apple's Terms and Conditions. Don't like it? Take it up with your local political representative or write letters to the appropriate regulatory bodies. Just take note that so far, in the US, the courts have been just fine with Apple's Terms and Conditions.

 

[chown33]

I fully respect and support Jobs' decision to block porn on Apple's iDevices.

Is that really what you think is happening? Is there really no access whatsoever to porn on the iDevices?

Because you have a fairly capable web-browser on every iDevice, and I don't think there's any shortage of porn available on the internet.

It seems the real complaint is that the owner of the App Store is unwilling to sell certain kinds of products. This seems perfectly reasonable to me, because that same store owner has freely given you a way to get the content you can't find at their store, built into the very device you're saying is too restrictive. There is far more content out there than iApps.

The complaints of censorship are ridiculous. You might as well complain that you can't buy livestock or sex-toys at a grocery store. Anywhere I've ever been, it's the store owner who decides what will be sold. If that's censorship, then store owners around the world have a lot to answer for.

 

[ranguvar]

a) Steve Jobs feels - for whatever reason - personally insulted by porn.
b) Steve Jobs doesn't want porn in the App Store because having porn apps would hurt Apple's image.
c) Steve Jobs uses the Porn Argument™ to hide the fact that he censors apps even when porn isn't involved.

 

[GFLPraxis]

Jobs has been, and continues to be restrictive with his policies, especially with mobile products. Find it silly all you want.

If you look at what I quoted, you stated that Jobs was stopping people from watching porn. Which he is not. This is a false statement. I called it silly.

You procede to restate your position in order to argue that it was correct to begin with.

Classic Straw Man, Logic 101.

 

[costabunny]

I am pretty glad that my nephews and nieces can use my iphone/pad and I need not worry they might find unsuitable apps (I let them browse the appstore to see if there is something they would like).

Its an image thing and Apple has decided to stay as far from the smutty side as possible - very noble considering the huge amount of money waiting in that arena.....

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I am pretty glad that my nephews and nieces can use my iphone/pad and I need not worry they might find unsuitable apps (I let them browse the appstore to see if there is something they would like).

Its an image thing and Apple has decided to stay as far from the smutty side as possible - very noble considering the huge amount of money waiting in that arena.....

It's not like there's Safari.