What if looking at a JPEG were like buying beer? The default is that a 12 year old isn't going to fool the guy at 7-11, but if their parents buy a beer and give it to 'em, what the heck? Consuming alcohol is not regulated; *purchasing* it is.

Don't forget: the fact that "porno on the net" (for instance) is an issue *at all* is a *failure* of technology. It would be a non-issue if USENET wasn't essentially a technology vacuum.

indeed. and Who is doing the most to make sure that the technology necessary (strong widespread crypto) to make porno on the net a non-issue? if the governments of the world weren't such a bunch of collective paranoid pricks, i believe we'd be in the process of implementing global encryption on the internet and private networks as well. the public needs to be informed that thus 'failure of technology' is completely unnecessary. one of the things that _really_ pisses me off is that the very same people who are restricting the access of crypto technology are the ones who are screaming that they need to restrict other fundamental freedoms because of the their own stupid policies. writing this, it is obvious that their policy is entirely reasonable and in fact necessary if it is your fundamental goal to restrict freedom. i believe this to be the case when considering governments in general, and the u.s. govt. in particular. amp