Is your mail censored for you?

[Colin]

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I joined IntelliFlix.com a few months ago, so I could see all of the movies, not just the soft core porn, but also the racer material too (although my library has The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover, which is one of the most disturbing films I have seen in a long time).

Did not get any of the adult material, but I did get this:

Intelliflix.com <support.reply@intelliflix.com>

Sent :

Monday, December 19, 2005 5:48 PM

To :

Subject :

RE: Ticket # 88106

Intelliflix mails the DVD movies to customers inside a mailer. The movies are identified inside only the number on the inside of the mailer. You have to open the mailer in order to know which movie is inside. I wrote back asking them to define the criteria for adult material and how the local post office determines which movies inside Intelliflixs mailer are considered adult material. So far no response.

Such blatant censorship really makes me mad an I am going to do something about it.[:@]

[RichardP]

Knowing a little about media censorship and living in the buckle of the

bible belt (OK), I know it is true that many states or

municipalities have ordinances or laws about adult materials, and can

and do make rental , sales, and ownership of adult (XXX) material

outright illegal. Even though your issue concerns a mail order rental,

the company is still doing business with you, within your

state's borders, and thus potentially violating a law, which could

result in

criminal charges by an overzealous attorney general. Recall a few

years back when the AG of OK charged video rental stores who rented

"The Tin Drum" with violating obscenity laws. That movie won an

Oscar for best foreign movie in the 80s; there were scenes which

appeared to depict a minor having sex. It was eventually dropped, but

an AG who wants to get re-elected could do some outrageous things, such

as "going after the s-m-u-t peddlars who degrade our fine state.." which

could involve warrants to open mail from suspected rental companies.

Last

year, Alabama made sex toys illegal; yes,

selling a d-i-l-d-o is illegal in AL, a state law which was upheld all

the

way to the US Supreme Court (interestingly, you can buy one out of

state and legally bring it back to AL). So much for "the privacy

of one's own bedroom." That said, I think that

internet-based adult movie rental companies vary in their risk-taking.

I have seen some which state specifically that they do not rent "...to

the following list of zip codes or states.." and other who do not state

such a list.

[toddvj]

I'm sure you could find another company that would be more than happy to rent you porn. You can't blame Intelliflix for protecting themselves.

[Colin]

Porn? Who said anything about porn?

[Steve_L]

We are slowly sliding down the slippery slope, losing personal freedom and personal privacy with every inch.

I want to ban mayonaise and ice cream. Mayonaise causes people to have heart attacks and ice cream.. well, we all know about the evil of ice cream.

[toddvj]

Porn? Who said anything about porn?

Oh, I'm sorry, I meant "adult material." Actually, though you did say "Soft Core Porn." I'm sure they are not banning you from renting R rated material.

Again, though, they are protecting themselves, not you. The post office would probably not know that they were mailing, or you were receiving potentially Illegal material. But if someone from your area were run their own "sting operation" to test Intelliflix, knowing the local ordinances, that person could potentially get Intelliflix in a lot of trouble. So they aren't censoring anything, just covering their own @$$es. If you lived in another area, I'm sure they would love to rent you their whole catalog.

[Fish]

My wife censors my mail,does that count? If it was a Federal deal I'd

say I'll join the fight but state and local laws are different.There's

always LA