Want To Search For Online Porn In Korea? Please Identify Yourself First

from the got-your-porn-license? dept

Thu, May 17th 2007 9:09pm — Mike Masnick

Apparently, Google Korea is going to follow the lead of other Korean search engines introducing what they're calling an age-verification system for its search engine later this year. The idea is that "adult-themed" search will require you to be 19 years old or older. If their searches touch on any of the list of 700 words supplied by the Korean government, users will have to enter their name and national resident registration number (think of it as your porn license!) to be checked against a database to make sure you're old enough. Of course, this also means the government (and Google) will have a very detailed record of who is searching for porn. Or they would, assuming that no one ever finds out the national resident registration number of someone else over the age of 19 and enters that instead of their own information. Not that that would ever happen.... Also, it's not clear what words are included in the list, but you have to wonder how such systems handle searches for things like "breast cancer."

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21 Comments

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Bob Jones, 17 May 2007 @ 10:01pm

Wow, in North Korea - there are no restrictions on porn, I forget which is communist again? :P
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- T-dub, 9 Jul 2007 @ 12:00pm
  
  Re:
  yeah, they restrict it all.. deemed not up to the states moral fiber by Kim Jong Il. Though the guy has a harem. Go figure.
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- Y, 29 Dec 2007 @ 1:19pm
  
  Re:
  Bob Jones, In North Korea, there are restrictions on the Internet, let alone porn. Besides, with the blackness of their nights, clearly they don't have electricity, either. Cheers!
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David, 17 May 2007 @ 10:04pm

what a joke
I live in Korea. All you have to do is use an English search engine. The only thing the Korean Government regulates are websites in Korea. Since there are only 3 really big players here, it's not that hard to bypass. Just use English. The irony here is that all the best English speakers are all under the age of 19.
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- Anonymous Coward, 29 May 2007 @ 4:34am
  
  Re: what a joke
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Buzz, 17 May 2007 @ 10:46pm

Grammar Police
Forgive my attention to detail, but the final question mark in the article is unnecessary.

... for things like "breast cancer."
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Spartacus, 18 May 2007 @ 3:31am

Breastisis
It never fails that when someone start using some sort of porn filter/restriction whoever reports on it in a negative way always brings up the question of "WHAT WILL I DO WHEN I SEARCH FOR BREAST CANCER????"
Seriously... are these reporters looking for the daily news on how we still can't find a cure for breast cancer every hour? Is "Breast Cancer" in the top 10 search engine searches done by minors? Why does everyone cry "WE CAN'T GOOGLE 'BREAST CANCER' ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU PUT THAT DAGNABBIT PORN FILTER ON?" Is the need to Google "Breast Cancer" that big of a deal for a bunch of 14 year olds?
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- The infamous Joe, 18 May 2007 @ 3:59am
  
  Re: Breastisis
  It's a convenient example about how words can be liked to porn, yet the site you are searching for may *not* be porn.
  
  I hope this helps you understand.
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- Anonymous Coward, 18 May 2007 @ 4:27am
  
  Re: Breastisis
  It's a valid example of something that could be searched for by someone. Also, the person in question who may actually have breast cancer may not want the world to know about it. But to get past the filter at a library, they may have to get permission and then the cat's out of the bag so to speak.
  
  When it comes down to it, its a really good example of how these filters pose problems. There's breast cancer awareness, yet many people may be unaware because they can't search for it online.
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i korean, 18 May 2007 @ 6:18am

porn good what is breast cancer you speak of
i look porn and good very good we should all be able and willing to look porn none of this filter thing.

because that is gay if you ask me
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Huh?, 18 May 2007 @ 6:41am

mmm, Boobies.
Wtf did he just say? Maybe this is one of the problems with an international site :x
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Hope, 18 May 2007 @ 6:52am

Google Korea Search Engine Verification forum
It's quite impressive how a huge company takes such decision. This is a clear manifestation of their social responsibility. I've heard also that in the year 2004,access was restricted to Web sites hosting a video of a Korean hostage being beheaded in Iraq for the public's sake.
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- Anonymous Coward, 23 May 2007 @ 10:52pm
  
  Re: Google Korea Search Engine Verification forum
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Fred Flint, 18 May 2007 @ 9:01am

Bad Words?
I'd be fascinated to see a list of those 700 words. Is prOn on the list? How about foot for foot fetishists? How about lasso or rope or knot? Is B&D a word? How about behind or rear or spank or golden or shower?

Wouldn't you have to totally block all search engines because you know, one thing often leads to another on the Internet?

That must be quite a list! I'm sure it's incomplete and amusing and I do hope it gets published one of these days.
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bshock, 18 May 2007 @ 9:05am

How many of you have tried searching for porn on Google? Okay, nobody wants to admit it, but at one time or another, every male Internet user has.

And how often did you find something worth the effort? Maybe never?

Porn is a huge industry, and works hard to screw over your Internet searches. What you'll find from Google are advertisements, advertisements, and more advertisements. If that's what gets you off, I suppose you're in luck.

Anybody with any experience knows that you go to forums for information about the best sites.
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Curious Researcher, 23 May 2007 @ 12:34pm

URL PLease
What forums are we referring to? err... This would be for research purposes only mind you...
LOL
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Scooter, 23 May 2007 @ 6:49pm

Koreans and porn
I think the koreans have a good idea. Who really wants a bunch of horny koreans running around?
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Mrs Razeb Mostafa, 29 May 2007 @ 2:45pm

hi
From Mrs Razeb Mostafa
Abidjan Côte D'Ivoire
Dear respectful one,

With due respect and humility I write you this letter which I believe you would be of great assistance to me and my children.
I am Mrs Razeb Mostafa, the wife of late Dr Ali mostafa. Prior to my husband assassination by the rebel forces,he was the Director General National Gold and Diamond Mining Corporation of Sierra-Leone.

Few days before my husband was assassinated, he instructed me and my children to move out of Sierra-Leone and also to go into his underground strong room where the documents of money he has deposited in a security company in Abidjan Cote d Ivoire in one trunk box as family valuables and treasures with the name of my first son as the beneficiary. The amount is US$8,500,000 ( Eight Million Five hundred thousand united states dollars).He deposited it in a security company,
we are in a sincerely desire of your assistance to help us restrive this box that contains money out from the security company to your country for investment of the fund.

For your information, the security company did not know the really content of the box and we do not wish them to know until the box is remove from there to your country. As it was deposited as family valuables and treasures.

Meanwhile, we want to leave Cote d Ivoire entirely for investment of this money in your country and mostly for the future of my children. I want you to please assist us to claim the box from the security company.
We have it in mind to reward you with 20% of the total amount after you met assist us bring it out from the security company to your country,

I am waiting to hear from you,

Best Regard,
Mrs Razeb Mostafa.reply me with this mail
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Feb 2010 @ 2:10am
  
  Re: hi
  you are an scamming african piece of shit! I hope they put all the fucking internet fraudulent con artists like you and all of the other nigerian fuckers out there in jail!!
  
  DIE!
  DIE!DIE!
  DIE!
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sara, 29 Jun 2007 @ 6:53pm

i cant sign into my Hotmail Account/MSN because it says i need to verify that im an adult, by giving my NRRN.
but the thing is, i dont have one. neither do my parents.
we are military family living in South Korea.

so how can i "get pass" this situation?
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stephen bakari, 4 Apr 2010 @ 12:16pm

i am
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