Napster-like Programs Help Kids Find Porn

July 27 -- File-sharing computer programs similar to Napster have long been a headache for music companies, but a congressional report released today says they also pose a serious new threat: giving kids easy access to hard-core pornography.

"Few parents are aware of the risks posed by the explosive growth of file-sharing programs on the Internet," says the report, commissioned by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla.

It is the first investigation into the use of such programs for transferring pornographic materials.

File-sharing programs let users search for and copy files on each other's computers. They became widely known through Napster, the pioneering file-sharing program used to swap audio MP3 files.

The new report, however, focuses on other software similar to Napster but also allows users to trade video and image files. These other programs, which include Music City Morpheus, BearShare, and Aimster, have surged in popularity following Napster's legal battle over copyright violations.

The programs work independently of Web browsers like Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, and can bypass many programs designed to block pornography and other potentially objectionable material, the report said.

Hard-Core Images, and Lots of Them

The available content includes images of child pornography and bestiality, the congressional investigators said. And unlike many porn Web sites, it offers the files for free, without need for a credit card.

"A single search for the term 'porn' using BearShare yielded over 25,000 entries, more than 10,000 of which were video files," the investigators wrote.

The report found that on a recent day, the words "porn," "sex," "xxx," "teen," "preteen," and "lolita" were among the ten most popular search terms on the Gnutella file-sharing network.

Furthermore, the investigators said, routine searches often returned links to pornographic material.

"It absolutely should be a big concern," said Ruben Rodriguez, of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.