Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Dad fears wi-fi proliferation to cause Net abuse
COUNCILOR Pilar C. Braga proposed a resolution calling for a legislative inquiry into the proliferation of wi-fi services that allows anyone with a computer laptop or Internet-enabled cellphone to access the Internet within the area where an unrestricted Wi-fi service is available.
In her privilege speech at the council session Tuesday, Braga said she is concerned by the sightings of laptop-carrying executives accessing pornographic materials while leisurely sipping coffee in some cafes in the downtown area.
Braga said with over 40 wi-fi hotspots listed in the whole of Davao City, there is a risk that children could access and be exposed to the same pornographic materials as anyone who has a laptop or an Internet-ready cellphone can have free access to the Internet within a 100-meter proximity to a hotspot.
"Just as we regulated the use of the Internet in the Internet cafes to protect our children from pornographic materials, there is also a need to extend such protection for Wi-fi establishments and users," Braga said.
Braga added that unauthorized or pornographic file-sharing applications can crowd out legitimate users of the Internet and can expose the public especially minors to unnecessary risk.
As the mayor has recently approved Executive Order 15, which created a team to study possibilities of making Davao the information and communications technology hub of Mindanao, Braga said achieving this goal would mean putting things in order by way of some regulations in the use of Wi-fi technology in the city. (GLP)
