Why Does Upward Broadband Block Explicit Content?

2 minute read

It’s more than just providing the internet for us. We are about providing our community with reliable internet that enriches those that use it. This includes providing a safe environment for all ages by making a good faith effort to restrict access to the availability of pornographic or sexually explicit content. 

There are many reasons why we feel this is a benefit for our community. This blog dives into those reasons and what it means for our customers. 

Here’s Why We Block Explicit Content

Statistics show that pornography harms not only its viewers (physiological and neurological), but it also impacts their relationships and society as a whole (the devaluing of humans, abuse and sex trafficking). The facts show that viewing this type of content can lead to wrecked relationships, infidelity, and a greater risk of divorce. 

Here are a few statistics that back our reasons for blocking this content. 

• A report by The National Center on Sexual Exploitation showed that frequent use can lead to depression, seclusion, and low self-worth
• The same report from NCOSE shows pornography normalizes violence against and the degradation of women
• Viewing pornographic material creates a strain on marriages and a 300% increase in infidelity. In addition, according to the study ‘Till Porn Do Us Part’, divorce rates double when porn is introduced into a marriage. 
• According to a Cambridge University study, pornography changes your brain similarly to drug addiction. As the addiction grows, users tend to become desensitized and seek out more aggressive/perverse forms. 

In addition to the impact on the viewer and their relationships, porn has a great impact on the people involved in making it. Here’s a short video that speaks to the impact this industry has on sex trafficking and the resulting dehumanization.

What does this mean for our customers

As outlined in our Acceptable Use Policy, We commit to our customers that we will make a good faith effort to block content that is categorized by our filtering software to fit within two categories:  ‘Child Sexual Abuse’ and ‘Pornography & Sexuality’.  

• The ‘Child Sexual Abuse’ category blocks sites containing child sexual abuse images, criminally obscene adult and child sexual content from a list compiled by the Internet Watch Foundation. 
• The ‘Pornography & Sexuality’ category blocks sites containing pornography in any form. 

The use of this filter does not guarantee that all content of this type will be blocked. Some content could still “fall through the cracks” and still be accessible. It also doesn’t mean that the content in these categories will be blocked on streaming services like YouTube or Hulu. However, the software is always improving, making it harder and harder for this type of content to be viewed. 

This is a glimpse into why we feel viewing this content is harmful, and the addictive nature shows preventative actions should be used. The blocking of this content is not a limitation to our internet service. Rather it is a benefit to keep the internet safe for everyone. If you have any questions about our filtering or the reason behind it, please feel free to contact us.