WASHINGTON - New internet file-sharing programs that have sprung up in the wake of Napster provide children easy access to pornographic material, according to a congressional report released today.
"Peer-to-peer" systems like Music City Morpheus, Aimster, and BearShare have emerged as major sources not only for music but also X-ratedphotographs and videos, the report said.
Unlike pornographic websites, which often require a credit card for access and can easily be blocked by filtering programs, parents cannot easily block access to these systems, the report said.
Two congressmen who commissioned the report said parents should monitor their children's computer use to minimize the problem, as new laws would prove ineffective.
"In this case, parental awareness and parental involvement matter more than legislation," said California Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman, who along with Oklahoma Republican Rep. Steve Largent commissioned the report.
Use of the wildly popular Napster music-sharing program has plummeted in the wake of a March court order that barred the network from trading copyrighted songs.
The service, which claims 70 million registered users, has been out of commission since July 1 as it upgrades to block unauthorized files.
At the same time, alternative services have mushroomed in popularity - Music City Morpheus now claims 500,000 simultaneous users, as many as Napster had a year ago, Waxman said.
Unlike Napster, which only handles digital music, the new systems' multimedia capabilities provide pornography even to those who aren't looking for it.
Waxman showed the results of a search for "Britney Spears" on the Aimster network that turned up X-rated video clips along with songs and music videos from the pop singer.
Largent called for the Department of Justice to devote more energy to prosecuting pornography through obscenity laws.
But just as legislation would probably be ineffective, prosecution could be difficult as well, Largent acknowledged.
Unlike Napster, many alternative programs are based on decentralized platforms which lack a central server and thus cannot be shut down. Some services, like KaZaa, are based in other countries.
"It probably is difficult to prosecute, but it's impossible if you don't try," Largent said.
A Democratic staffer on the House Government Reform Committee, said only one filter of the six the committee staff examined proved effective: Internet Guard Dog, which could block access to file-sharing systems entirely.
