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November 01, 2004
Porn-Busters -- The Power of Surveillance
While countless websites are designed to get surfers to view porn, at least one website, XXXchurch.com, is helping people do just the opposite: avoid porn online. The site succeeds when it convinces people to download software called "X3watch," a porn-busting application that leverages the power of surveillance. Users of X3watch designate "accountability partners" who receive reports about the user's surfing behavior. Yesterday's article in the NY Times reports that "100,000 people have downloaded X3watch, including all of the pastors at the church" where one of the founders attends. The pastors, the founder, and others have designated their wives as accountability partners. According to the article, "Internet pornography is one of the vexing issues for churches today." The XXXchurch.com website uses a host of influence strategies, including this pledge: "The X3 PorNO! Pledge 1. I will be accountable to someone. Whether it is a friend, a relative, a pastor or a spouse. I realize if I try and do this on my own I'm going to jack it up. 2. I will be open and real about my own struggles knowing that the truth will lead to freedom. I am not ashamed to be human and realize that mama was right...honesty is the best policy. 3. I will talk about the dirty little secret and encourage others to be real and open about it. Let's realize that we are all in this together, right? 4. I will put safeguards in my life to keep me away from this crap. If it means I've got to get rid of the satellite dish and DSL, then I will do it." --- Oh, yes . . . be sure to read the hatemail section of the site. Interesting.Posted by at November 1, 2004 02:03 PM
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