Where there is internet there is porn. It’s a fact, an undeniable fact, one that LinkNYC should have kept in mind when it started setting up public Wi-Fi kiosks in one of the biggest cities on the planet. When they were launched in February this year, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that these 7,500 kiosks would “bridge the digital divide,” but operator LinkNYC finds that the kiosks are being used for other things. It’s now shutting off web browsing in the kiosks because people just won’t stop watching porn.
The kiosks offer free public Wi-Fi and feature an integrated tablet which can be used to access the internet. People can access the web on their own devices as well provided they remain within 150-feet of the kiosk.
More than 400 of these kiosks have been installed across New York City so far, and LinkNYC says that there has been a lot of curiosity and excitement surrounding them.
Reports show that the kiosks have effectively been hijacked by loiterers and porn aficionados which has prompted LinkNYC to release a statement saying it never intended these kiosks to be “for anyone’s extended, personal use,” and that’s why it’s shutting down the ability to browse the web using the kiosk’s integrated tablets
The company has also said that it’s exploring other potential solutions as well which include time limits. For now, all other features of these kiosks including free device charging, maps, phone calls, and free Wi-Fi access remain unchanged.
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