Indonesia finds it hard to rub out internet porn

"It's really a hard thing to do in technical terms. For me, it's almost an impossible task."—Indonesian Internet Service Provider Association member Valens Riyadi. He and fellow ISPs are tasked with banning internet porn in the predominantly Muslim country "by Ramadan or else."

• [Donald Petersen]

  Like the stern-faced lady sez, “Stop seks bebas.”

  I can think of few better pastimes to occupy the attention of the devout: how to eliminate Internet porn without blocking the Internet altogether. Especially by Ramadan. Sounds like a job for the Terrible Trivium! “…And finally, I must have a hole in this cliff, and here is a needle to dig it.”

  Heck, if they don’t make the deadline, maybe the nation *will* have to unplug for the month. A fast from technology. Sounds almost idyllic…

• [Hey Snoopy]

  yes yes yes, all these comments are correct. Sneaker net, new smaller sites, no fun fundamentalists… etc.. But whats funny is that this guy, Tirtafal created this bold and insane challenge, to appease the more conservative members of his political party and has NO VISIBLE plan at all. No list of sites, no plan for enforcements no technical roadmap etc. He is just a really bad minister. Dumb, authoritarian, under the thumb of some bad dudes…but in a way he is quite smart. he is appeasing the ultra rich and the ultra conservative at the same time. This is not easy. they are usually pretty far apart.

  Many here are saying that this ‘Ban the porn from the interwebz’ thing is just a dirty ploy to push out out the smaller ISP providers because the costs (firewalls servers new hires, regulatory chaos etc.) weigh more heavily upon them. It is a political move in a way that consolidates power among the ultra rich and powerful while appearing to be “protection from sin” etc.

  Like everything here, it is not what you think it is, not even close…great country, great people, great surf, great cultures, come and visit.

  • [teapot]

    great country, great people, great surf, great cultures

    If a country’s government can’t accept responsibility for their military’s barbaric actions over 35 years ago (and bring those responsible to justice), then I’d have to strongly disagree with all of your points… except the one about surf.

    Then they ban a movie about the issue? PA-THETIC.
    http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/court-to-rule-on-balibo-banning-20100722-10mmc.html

    come and visit

    When hell freezes over. Say hi to Winston Smith when you see him, will ya?

• [BookGuy]

  Riyadi’s task next month is to make sure all youtube comments are grammatically correct and insightful.

  • [David Carroll]

    The YouTube problem is easy. Ban them completely. I have yet to see a YT comment worth reading.

    As for the actual problem: I think “Hey Snoopy” is closest to the real answer.

• [william]

  It’s indeed a hard job to rub out porn, with stiff penalties for failure. They have no time to dick around, and must plunge into this slippery situation. There will undoubtedly be friction, with much moaning, and perhaps some screaming. But they can’t be pussies about this: they must stand erect and ram through, until they come to a successful conclusion.

  Also, penis.

  • [Anonymous]

    Well played, sir

    • [pixleshifter]

      I second the motion.

• [Anonymous]

  The only sure-fire censorship tool that will handle this is called “wirecutters”. Just sever the data line going into the country. It is the only way to be sure.

  • [Brainspore]

    Just sever the data line going into the country. It is the only way to be sure.

    It’s too late- we can broadcast porno from orbit now. Best just to poke everybody’s eyes out.

• [nosarembo]

  I can but you shouldn’t/
  I can’t so you mustn’t.

  Target for next Ramadan: win the World Cup *or else*.

• [teapot]

  Just found this hilarious translation describing the setup (Trust Positif) this guy is talking about using for the WHOLE COUNTRY.

  http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=id&u=http://www.trustpositif.depkominfo.go.id/&ei=75JXTM7FJMqrceDfgOUI&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DTrust%2BPositif%26hl%3Den

  I hope we get an update in ramalamadingdong.

• [Rayonic]

  in June, a series of videos emerged online that allegedly showed the popular rock singer Nazril Irham, known as Ariel, having sex with two female celebrities.

  Horrible! I’m going to have to closely examine this blasphemous content.

• [Anonymous]

  Coming soon to a theatre near you: John Travolta directs Halle Berry to kneel between Hugh Jackman’s legs and then tells him to “stop the porn… By Ramadan Or Else!”

• [BukaHobbit]

  Heh, I see what you did there. They are trying to rub one out. Heh.

• [annwn]

  “Must be a yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please. Rules, laws — always for other fellow. A murky part of us, something we had before we came down out of trees, and failed to shuck when we stood up.”
  Robert Heinlein

• [Gutierrez]

  Star fox team, our last resort is to counter attack venom!!

• [Anonymous]

  North Korea may have hit upon the only really workable way to ban internet porn: ban the internet itself. And I’m pretty sure that those few elites in North Korea with any kind of internet access at all are using it to download porn.

• [johnnyaction]

  Maybe they can stop the flood of porn the way the little dutch boy stopped the flow of water by sticking his finger in the…. hey wait a minute!

  I do not envy this man’s job at all. Even if you can filter the “big name” websites new ones are popping up all over the place constantly.

  Then there is bit-torrent and other file sharing services.

  Failing all that there is the usb drive sneakernet.

  Information may not want to be free but people sure do love free porn.

• [Anonymous]

  All religious fundamentalists have the same horrible feeling that someone, somewhere, is enjoying themselves.

• [Felton]

  “It’s like trying to catch smoke. It’s like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.”
  -Bem

• [DanC]

  If I weren’t worried about what their punishment might be when they fail, I’d laugh pretty heartily.

• [dculberson]

  This is a bigger and harder problem than his bosses believe, and I predickt a sticky mess cum Ramadan. It will take much, much longer than that to rub out.