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I agree. This industry is gonna shoot itself in the foot. Constant spam, pseudo-virii dialers, autobookmarks, console hell that crash browsers, etc. - it's all gonna change public perception for the worse. Once public perception and media views change, no longer viewing online porn in the same ranks as Playboy, but rather akin to 1-900 numbers, the government will be able to walk in and do what they want.
It's already started. Mainstream media used to report feel good stories about a housewife-turned-tycoon when she started Danni's Hard Drive. Nowaways they report about the 15-year old son of Joe Blow who rang up a $112 phone bill off a dialer. Think the public, whose getting drilled with daily spam from xxx sites, is gonna get in an uproar when the Feds go after online porn? I don't. Common argument from porn webmasters has been "we can regulate ourselves, we don't need the government to step in." I have trouble believing that at times.
It would be nice to see a trade group formed, with webmasters and sponsors alike paying dues and following some established practices, with membership necessary prior to allowing new affliates and affiliate programs into the 'mainstream' online porn biz (providing at least a nominal barrier to entry). Dues used to pay a small staff whose purpose is to work with the press to improve public perception and regulate cheating/unethical practices. Far too fragmented an industry and too many large egos around to see it happen, but it would be nice.
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