Napster-like Programs Help Kids Find Porn

July 27, 2001 -- 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.

He said his organization's tip center has received numerous calls from parents worried about kids accessing pornography through file-sharing and instant messaging programs.

Is it Impossible to Block All the Porn?

Another Internet safety expert cautions against overemphasizing the dangers of children using file-sharing programs to access illicit material.

"Kids aren't using this for porn. They don't need to," said Parry Aftab, the executive director of CyberAngels, an online safety and help organization.

She insists that because Web filtering software is at best only partially effective in blocking porn, kids don't need file-sharing programs to find the material.

"You cannot block all of the porn," she said. The biggest danger posed by file-sharing programs in particular, she said, is the ability to easily trade child pornography without attracting attention from law enforcement agencies.

Her views are echoed by Sharon, a 17-year-old "Teen Angel" who works to promote online safety for kids. "Porn on the Internet is all too accessible in itself," she said. "You don't need some high-tech apparatus to find it. Sometimes, it's even sent to you."

‘Talk to Your Kids’

Susan Getgood — vice president of SurfControl, which makes the Cyber Patrol filtering program — defended the value of blocking software, however.

"Parents do have tools at their disposal," she said. Cyber Patrol, for example, gives user the option of blocking access to the homepages of particular file-sharing programs.

The congressional report found, however, that on their default settings, Cyber Patrol Net Nanny, America Online Parental Controls, and other software failed to block access to the material.

Many experts agree that ultimately, parents need to take an active interest in their kids' use of the Internet.

"The first step still … is for parents to talk to their kids," Getgood said. "The filtering software is just a tool."