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Adult sites face prosecution

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer
Johannesburg, 25 Jan 2007

Not all .za Web sites trading adult content have shut down and those still doing business now face prosecution, says the Film and Publications Board (FPB).

In September, the FPB gave sites selling DVDs or other adult content online until 31 December to stop trading.

FPB national co-ordinator for compliance monitoring Yewande Langa says the clampdown is one of a series of measures to keep porn out of the hands of children.

A study last year showed that up to 70% of teens who had access to the Internet had been exposed to pornography. A study conducted for the US Department of Justice last year found 1.1% of Internet content was pornographic.

SA's Film and Publication Act restricts access to adult content to those 18 years and older. Many experts consider exposing children to adult content as a form of abuse and some argue those doing so could be charged with indecent assault.

Adultlinks Webmaster "Ian" confirms it is "business-as-usual for some of the sites. I have not heard that anyone has shut down."

There is no definitive list of adult Web sites based in SA, nor how many sell DVDs and the like online. A number of licensed sex shops have previously used the Internet to solicit mail-order business and some still advertise - but don't sell - stock on the Web.

Langa says the FPB is compiling a list of offenders and will hand this to the police in due course for further action, which would include having such sites shut down and the Webmasters prosecuted.

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