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Article from: NEWS.com.au

Wikipedia users divided over sexual material

By Mark Schliebs September 09, 2008 12:50pm

Wikipedia image
Explanation ... one of the questioned articles in Wikipedia / Image supplied

Have your say! Comments are open on this article - add yours

CHILD protection campaigners say Wikipedia has "crossed the line" by allowing graphic videos and photographs of sexual acts on its articles - and even some of the site's own editors say the content is dressed-up porn.

While school children used to look up dirty words in dictionaries, searching for the same phrases on Wikipedia can result in images and videos of masturbation, "hardcore" sex and orgies.

On one entry, an 18-second video of a man ejaculating appears on the page - without any warnings or age verification.

On another page, various photos from the sets of both a heterosexual and homosexual "hardcore" pornography films are featured. Several images of masturbation appear on another page.

The online encyclopaedia, which relies on users to produce articles and maintain accuracy, has replaced many traditional information sources for millions around the world - but the accuracy and appropriateness of its content has long been criticised.

A Wikipedia editor who has been trying to get the ejaculation video removed says the clip is "overkill".

"A video of a woman giving herself a breast exam would be educational and ... a video of a man giving himself a testicle exam would be educational" in relevant articles, the user says.

"Images alone are not enough for those processes, but a video of a man ejaculating - when there is an image that shows it stage by stage - is not needed."

Childwise head Bernadette McMenamin says sex education is "a good thing", but displaying sexualised images in an online encyclopaedia "crosses the line".

"Does that mean that when you type in 'murder', you should actually see someone murdering someone else?" she says.  "Do we really need to see a woman masturbating on Wikipedia? Do we really need to see so many seconds of ejaculation?"

Protests from many Wikipedia users have caused many "obscene" images to be removed, on the basis that they did not contribute to people's understanding of topics, but many more are still being disputed.

On a discussion page, one user complains that a photograph of female genitalia is shown for titillation, not education. "I don't think that (Wikipedia) is the place for this ... even in medical school, you deal mostly with diagrams - not French manicured nails."

On another discussion page, a user complains about the use of a photograph of a man performing a sexual act on another man. "How is this NOT pornographic in nature?" the user asks.

According to Wikipedia’s policies, there "is no censorship" in the online encyclopaedia.

"Obviously inappropriate content (such as an irrelevant link to a shock site, or clear vandalism) is usually removed quickly," the site says.

"However, some articles may include objectionable text, images, or links where they are relevant to the content - such as the articles about the penis or pornography."

Internet Industry Association boss Peter Coroneos says there is no need for "moral hysteria" over graphic images if they are used in context.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says it can only begin investigating the images and videos if a complaint is received.

Disclaimer

Latest Comment:

Nice One of Brisbane writes:

Thank you news.com.au, I bet people are flocking to Wikipedia now to checkout the alleged pornography content!

Posted at 12:33pm today

Scott Stone of US writes:

How is an encylopedia article about masturbation or ejaculation that describes masturbation or ejaculation, erotic, pornographic or obscene? Just because it is frank and honest including accurate images of an anatomical, health, medical or sexology issue, that does not mean it is obscene. The problem is with people who associate sexuality automatically with pornography. When I saw the ejaculation video, it gave me a very concrete understanding of the process. There was not the least bit of erotic or obscene content to that video.

Posted at 5:20am today

Tony writes:

As the disclaimer states, Wikipedia is not censored, and the majority of users will fight tooth and nail to keep it that way. The majority of editors will also fight to ensure that the images and media included on the site are appropriate for the subject being discussed, and there have been numerous situations in which inappropriate images have been removed because of their questionable content. Media such as the ejaculation video referenced herein does not stream by itself; it requires the user to click. And if parents, teachers, etc. are monitoring their children while they're on the Internet - which they should be doing - that click won't happen. Nor will their child be viewing the "ejaculation" page unless the parent feels it appropriate. Right?

Posted at 1:58am today

Jim of Brisbane writes:

You could sail the Knock Nevis between the wikipedia community's opinion of itself and reality. A little attitude adjustment is long overdue.

Posted at 2:03pm September 10, 2008

Sensible writes:

To James of Sydney "I bet if you look up pedophile there are no movies or pictures which could be regarded as "in context" because clearly they would be inappropriate." No, clearly these would be ILLEGAL. The internet is covered in pornographic material, there is no way of stopping it. Boycott the internet??

Posted at 1:18pm September 10, 2008

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