I'm quite new to Steemit, have never been a social media person, but I like the Steemit way of doing things.
So I'm bored, chilling out at home and I'm profile bouncing. Picking a post, looking at the profile of someone who's commented and then looking at one of their posts and then the profile of someone who's commented etc.
I come across a nsfw post, nsfw? Googled it, Not Safe For Work, a slang term used to flag media containing pornography, profanity, violence or any other material. Hmmm ok I'll have a look.
Yep it's porn, but a variety of porn. The consensual self post type. Ok, it raises some moral questions, but it's not as bad as the random pics of naughty selfies. Pics that I'm sure the original selfie taker would be mortified if they found them displayed for others to see. But hey, it's the Internet.
So I continued to explore the nsfw posts and came across a very disturbing post, the link is below.
This is not for the faint hearted. The video is graphic, disturbing and viewer discretion is definitely advised.
https://steemit.com/nsfw/@ranjangjang/a497--2017-10-01--girl-burnt-alive
It did however get me thinking about the whole realm of censorship, what should and should not be able to be viewed. Graphic images of fornicating adults who are willing to share their acts with others, pictures of naked young females who would probably not consent to their pictures being available for public viewing, are seemingly acceptable.
But it's not so much the content that should be scrutinised, the discussion should revolve around the platform that enables such content to be viewed and perhaps the platforms that do not.
Many YouTube content creators are censored due to their content being unsuitable for the benefits of advertising. This monetary orientated censorship results in a very controlled form of viewing material. But who decides what you view?
Yes the video is harrowing, but it shows how real some lives are, and how superficial/detached from reality other lives are. If we only view the world from a controlled narrative, how are we ever to know what reality really is? If our narrative protects us from the brutality other people live with every day, how can we be expected to care, empathise and object their suffering.
nsfw is a means to inform others that viewer discretion is advised. It's probably not suitable for impressionable, young minds. But it is a means for others to express themselves, inform others and put material that provokes thought, emotion and wider knowledge.
The Steemit community is diverse and global. It is why the Internet is so incredible. It is a reflection of modern human existence and interaction. People using screens to get to know other people, learn that other people see, do and think differently. Community members can express and explore free from commercial dictates. Steemit has created a decentralised social media platform. A refreshing change from the strangle hold of other platforms.
You may agree or disagree with my view, but that would be missing the point. The point being that content, regardless of discretionary requirement, should not be restricted because someone may be offended or adversely effected. Once that step has been taken, how much more will be removed from social spheres? How much is currently removed? How 'protected' are people from reality? Or should I ask how far away is reality from people's understanding of the world?