Support NeoGAF

[WinterIsComing]

File this one under things you probably thought already happened: Starbucks says that it will start blocking pornography on its store’s WiFi starting next year.

Viewing porn in a Starbucks store over its free public Wi-Fi network was already a violation of the company’s internet policy; however, it apparently was unable to stop guests from using the network to browse pornography.

Now, a Starbucks representative says that it’s identified a solution to prevent pornographic content from being viewed within its store and has a plan to introduce that solution to its U.S. locations in 2019, reports NBC News.

The move comes after the internet-safety advocacy group Enough is Enough circulated a petition asking for the coffee giant to address the issue. That petition received more than 26,000 signatures.


The move was the group’s second attempt at getting the retailer to address its porn problem. In 2014, Enough is Enough created a porn-free campaign that it aimed and McDonald’s and Starbucks. While McDonald's responded to the campaign quickly, Starbucks did not.

The coffee chain sent a letter to the advocacy group last year indicating it was looking for a global protocol to address pornography in its stores.

http://fortune.com/2018/11/29/starbucks-pornography/

Seriously, is it a thing in the US to go browse porn in a public place like Starbucks or McD's?
I mean, of course it should be banned on their Wi-Fi, but it wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't people watching porn there in the first place.

And YouPorn's reaction to this:

Starbucks, after a few years of promising it would, has banned porn viewing on its free WiFi. The company built a filter that would still allow mature content while blocking straight up porn. Porn purveyor YouPorn has amusingly responded by banning Starbucks coffee in its offices.

In a memo sent to employees by YouPorn by Vice President Charlie Hughes, effective on January 1st, Starbucks products will be banned in the Youporn offices. I can't imagine there will be someone walking around the office, slapping lattes out of people's hands. This is clearly being sent as a bit of a lolz from the executive team over at YouPorn.

In light of the news that Starbucks has blocked customers from searching and viewing adult content within their establishments, Starbucks products will officially be banned from the YouPorn offices, effective January 1st, 2019.​

My take is that people should not be watching porn in public. I clearly have no problem with porn itself, but it is internet content that should be consumed at home, either by oneself or with consenting partner(s). So banning it in a public place through a content filter isn't a horrible idea.

It's cute that YouPorn is slipping into the conversation about what is and what isn't acceptable internet content to consume in public, but it's not the best take because watching porn in public is just damn creepy. Drinking branded coffee in the office is not. It's still an amusing take however, as in recent years sites like Pornhub and YouPorn have become a bit more mainstream. There is actually some content, like gaming insights posts that might inadvertently be blocked by the type of content filters Starbucks is initializing.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/curtissilver/2018/11/29/youporn-responds-to-starbucks-porn-ban-by-banning-starbucks/

Ban me officially from the offices if old.

 

[odhin]

But... But.. I like my cappuccino with cream.

Spoiler

I'll see myself out, thank you

 

[Greedings]

It wasn't already blocked?

 

[Lanrutcon]

Begs the question: what's worse for society...pornography, or overpriced coffee?

 

[Papa]

But... But.. I like my cappuccino with cream.

Spoiler

I'll see myself out, thank you

You know a cappuccino has chocolate powder... oh.

 

[WinterIsComing]

You know a cappuccino has chocolate powder... oh.

There's a reference to this thread somewhere.

 

[eddie4]

*flips on vpn, loads up pornhub*

 

[Unknown Quantity]

It's so people with nut allergies can go in now.

Porn in public should only be available in shops or by railway sidings.

 

[STI]

that should keep people out of their bathrooms

 

[The Elite]

I hear this is something that happens a lot in libraries. People just go in and browse porn with no fucks given.

 

[Nymphae]

I don't really get why restaurants and cafes offer free wi-fi anyway, will people stop going to McDonalds or Starbucks because they don't provide free internet access? And every time I've ever tried to connect to a public wi-fi, it's been far slower than my data connection, so I just said fuck it.

 

[royox]

I guess I won't go to Starbucks anymore.

I don't really get why restaurants and cafes offer free wi-fi anyway, will people stop going to McDonalds or Starbucks because they don't provide free internet access? And every time I've ever tried to connect to a public wi-fi, it's been far slower than my data connection, so I just said fuck it.

You go there to have a drink/eat something while doing your work...then you stay there cause they have free wifi so you eat more and drink more till you go home.

 

[lil puff]

Just this week, there was a story about 8 year olds in school accessing murder porn. In class.

School: "We will look into it"

wtf?

 

[TrainedRage]

Fucking fascist coffee shop.

 

[zenspider]

Welp... back to Panera Bread.

 

[Nymphae]

You go there to have a drink/eat something while doing your work...then you stay there cause they have free wifi so you eat more and drink more till you go home.

I understand that in theory, but I'm dubious that they are making all that much money off of students who camp at a table with all of their books and order a coffee every few hours. Like up here in Canada Tim Hortons was doing just fine for years without wi-fi, then they added it, and I'm curious if it's beneficial to anyone but the children I see taking up booths just to use their phones.

 

[lil puff]

I understand that in theory, but I'm dubious that they are making all that much money off of students who camp at a table with all of their books and order a coffee every few hours. Like up here in Canada Tim Hortons was doing just fine for years without wi-fi, then they added it, and I'm curious if it's beneficial to anyone but the children I see taking up booths just to use their phones.

I think they want the store to always look busy. People like to go where everyone else is at. Monkey see, Monkey do.

It's not like their coffee or their pastry is that good.

They oversaturate and make sure all their stores look busy. We have about 5 Starbucks in a 2 block radius around here.

It would be interesting to see what happened if they did get rid of wifi.
No one is going to sit in their all day reading the NY Times.

 

[Nymphae]

It's not like their coffee or their pastry is that good.

I agree in general, though I think their light roast that they sell up here in Canada is fantastic, but only when I make it myself (the barristas never seem to get it right) - it used to be called Blonde Roast but now it's called the True North blend. The pastries are really overpriced and nothing special.

 

[lil puff]

I agree in general, though I think their light roast that they sell up here in Canada is fantastic, but only when I make it myself (the barristas never seem to get it right) - it used to be called Blonde Roast but now it's called the True North blend. The pastries are really overpriced and nothing special.

The only time I go is when I get a gift card during the Holidays. Someone who works here always gives everyone one every year.

LOL then I go their and realize that the card was only enough for one visit and embarrassingly have to pull out my wallet.

I tend to like Dunkin's coffee. People actually do wait in line for it, and I don't think they have free wifi.

 

[Nymphae]

I tend to like Dunkin's coffee. People actually do wait in line for it, and I don't think they have free wifi.

I had Dunkin's up here a few years ago when a friend brought some back from the states, and yeah it was pretty great. It's really tough to find up here for some reason.

 

[Osukaa]

Not gonna lie I probably contributed to the problem Once or Twice..... damn... What am I gonna watch now. I mean whats the point of going there anymore....

 

[Kadayi]

Is this like a chronic problem?

 

[michaelius]

Why would anyone want to watch porn in public ?

 

[Kenpachii]

I applied for the job. I must make 100% sure every single video is blocked that involves porn i will investigate all video's personally myself so i can conclude if its indeed actual porn.

 

[Weiji]

Why would anyone want to watch porn in public ?

I’ve twice seen homeless people watching porn at the library.

Starbucks just made it official policy that anyone can be there regardless of being a customer or not.

Scooby and I just solved the mystery.

 

[haxan7]

Welp... back to Panera Bread.

Back to the mall food court for me.

 

[Gander]

So now people can't enjoy BBC with their BBC

 

[haxan7]

So now people can't enjoy BBC with their BBC

Black Bold Coffee?

 

[Gander]

Black Bold Coffee?

 

[cryptoadam]

Used to be a time you had to go to some back woods and find a nudey mag, LOL now we gotta worry about porn in our coffee shops.

 

[Dice]

They're just trying to keep Idiocracy from becoming reality.

 

[Marsellio23]

I think it's so funny. Let people watch what they want. Especially in porn there is nothing bad. It just pisses me off when someone tries to control my morality.

 

[petran79]

Many porn sites nowadays intentionally do not even use adult filters

 

[Weiji]

I think it's so funny. Let people watch what they want. Especially in porn there is nothing bad. It just pisses me off when someone tries to control my morality.

And this quote right here is why they are blocking it.

There are actually people out there that think it’s ok to watch this stuff in a public setting and that restricting them from doing so is some kind of attack on them.

Tell me Marsellio, do you also think it’s ok to jerk if In a public place? It’s just a natural human action right? What right does anyone else have to tell you what to do?

 

[cryptoadam]

They're just trying to keep Idiocracy from becoming reality.

 

[shira]

But... But.. I like my cappuccino with cream.

Spoiler

I'll see myself out, thank you

not sausage?