When New York City launched its public Wi-Fi kiosks, our ears perked at the sound of 300 megabits per second… for free! And while you may be using this speedy Wi-Fi to download an MTA subway map or look for cool new restaurants to check out, some men are here to remind you why we can’t have nice things.
In June, homeless men and school kids were reportedly using LinkNYC’s kiosks to stream porn (and on occasion, masturbate along it) on the city’s dime. This lead LinkNYC to add filters to block inappropriate content from being accessed via these kiosks, but Gothamist reports that people are still using these hubs to view pornographic content.
“I was walking down Park Ave and I noticed the screens on those new WiFi Hubs being used to watch porn by two homeless men. They stood there and were jerking off around it,” a reader told Gothamist. “[After] laughing the situation off, it’s a bit unsettling that this type of material can be accessed so easily. Which makes me concerned about the safety of others and the sterility of the sidewalks.”
Porn via public Wi-Fi isn’t a new problem, however. Just two weeks ago, McDonald’s implemented a filter to block access to pornographic content via its free restaurant Wi-Fi.
LinkNYC says its new content monitoring system are within the caliber of those used in public schools and libraries across the country, so interpret that as you will.
There are currently about 180 active LinkNYC kiosks throughout New York City, with plans to replace 7,500 pay phones throughout the five boroughs over the next few years. Porn paradise is coming, y’all.
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