Telstra accused of running an 'amateur porn' site - News - Security

To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu

--------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Telstra accused of running an 'amateur porn' site

By Munir Kotadia and AAP
December 05, 2007
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Telstra-accused-of-running-an-amateur-porn-site/0,130061744,339284288,00.htm

Telstra seems to have pulled the plug on its Web site WotNext.com.au after accusations from family groups that instead of promoting musical talent, it was being used to sell smutty videos for $1 each.

Telstra launched WotNext in January this year, supposedly for young bands to post their music videos and boost their exposure. However, eight of the 10 most-viewed clips involve women in states of undress.

Click to enlarge.

Family groups have accused the telco of exploiting young Internet users and demanded the Rudd government intervene.

"The film clips on the site treat young women as sex objects ... all delivered through a part-owned government communications provider," Women's Forum of Australia director Melinda Tankard Reist told News Ltd newspapers.

The Australian Family Association said that by running the site Telstra was rotting the minds of young men as well as women.

"Telstra are commercially exploiting young people," association spokeswoman Angela Conway told The Daily Telegraph.

"They're deliberately sexualising young people in the most worrying way purely for commercial exploitation."

However, Telstra said the Web site was not supposed to show porn and had ordered a review into its content guidelines.

"Some of the current videos and the descriptions on WotNext are an unintended consequence of the user generated site and fall short of community expectations," Telstra spokesman Peter Taylor said.

"We share concerns by others and believe it has become a magnet for tasteless video graffiti and we will be undertaking a prompt review of guidelines for posting content."

Telstra's WotNext.com.au site this morning. Click to enlarge.

Telstra seems to have pulled the plug on its site overnight. Visitors this morning were greeted with the message: "OOPS. There has been an error. Please go back and try again." which was later updated to "WotNext is offline while we attend to some urgent matters and will be available soon."