Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

ONLINE PORNography. Edited by Emma Carlson Berne. Detroit, Mich.: Greenhaven Press Thomson Gale, 2007. 1 vol. 229 p. $36.20. ISBN 10: 0-7377-3857-7; 13: 978-0-7377-3657-7.

While pornography is not a new issue, its availability on the Internet makes it a far more profitable and available threat to community values. The introduction states that by the end of this year, Internet pornography will become a $7,000,000,000 a year business and that 66% of males between 18 and 34 who use the Internet will view online pornography at least once a month. No longer does the person seeking pornography need to leave home to find it. Chapter I discusses "Is Online Pornography Harmful to Society?" with one writer proposing "Pornography can be harmless" when viewed by married couples who wish to improve their sex life. Another suggests that "online pornography is not a moral problem" while two others debate if it is addictive. Chapter II debates if pornography is a form of free speech. Chapter III asks "Should Children Be Protected from Online Pornography?" And Chapter IV covers "Should Limits Be Placed on Online Pornography?" These are tough topics to debate because many teachers and parents of children would rather ignore the threat of pornography than have their children discuss the issue.