BRISBANE, Australia – An adult industry expert warned this week that planned government filters on internet content could increase the demand for brick-and-mortar sex shops.
Australia's Labor Party pledged to introduce ISP-based software that would block "prohibited" material, and according to critics, those same filters would also siphon between 3 and 8 percent of legitimate sites whose language trips the filters' triggers. Not only would certain material be blocked based on its subject matter, but the government plans to black out entire sites from a list maintained by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Fiona Patten, CEO of the Eros Association, predicts novelty stores will proliferate if the government filters are instituted. "If the filtering goes ahead, Queensland will see an explosion of adult shops because, if people can't access adult material online, they'll go to retail outlets instead," she says. "Increased demand will lead to more shops." Queensland already has more sex shops per capita than any other state, with at least 116.
One shop owner thinks the proposed ban could create a boom in business-or a bust. "There is enormous demand for non-violent erotica in Queensland, so I think adult stores are probably more resilient when it comes to discretionary spending," says Keith Boswell, who manages three BeDaring Adult Shops locations. Still, he sounds a note of caution. "If the filtering goes ahead, I think some people who prefer to look online will be embarrassed to go into stores."
Protests about the potential filters were held across the country on Saturday.
Source: Brisbane Times
