F•••••M From Porn

Last week Apple became the technology company with the most bajillions of dollars, knocking Microsoft out of the #1 spot and making Steve Jobs the iMan. But it turns out that the iProduct comes with an iAgenda - and it totally sucks.
I have a Macbook and I have an iPhone. I also love iTunes, it is probably my favorite piece of software in the world, and I love their podcast store - it has been awesome to see my WFMU show featured on their front page. BUT, this week, the love affair is over. Here is what happened: my show has become another unintended consequence of Steve Jobs' War on Porn.

The latest episode is called "Kicking Against the Pricks." The phrase comes from the Bible, it means  "rebellion against authority." And just as it is for one of the characters in my show, this rebellion is futile. Here is what the show title looks like on iTunes:

 

It doesn't bother me that Steve Jobs doesn't like Porn, but if he is serious about making his world free from Porn - then I think he has to pony up some of those bajillions of dollars and hire some good old fashioned bible thumping human censors - because his computer censors can't do the job without f••king up. Here is another example: a recent episode from the WNYC Science show Radiolab

My friend and WNYC Colleague Ellen Horne, the executive producer at Radiolab, says the staff was more amazed than horrified when Apple censored the word SPERM. Plus she adds that the *** makes it sort of like a "fun adventure to figure out what the show is even about." I wish I could be as amused. But I am not, if this is the iWorld, I don't want to live in it! And just so you know, the Chinese Government uses the "freedom from porn" line to justify what it does too. Maybe Steve Jobs will realize the futility of censorship on his own, but perhaps a list of unintended consequences will be more effective. If you have more examples - add them in the comments.

Comments

[mork]

That's totally b******t.

[Bob]

WT*!

[Caseycook]

I'm a conductor, and the funniest one I always run into is in Mass settings.

There's a section of the Gloria where the text is "Cum Sancto Spiritu" [with the Holy Spirit], and is sometimes written as a separate movement. It is universally listed on iTunes as "C*m Sancto Spiritu".

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/vivaldi-gloria/id692221 - for example

[Matt]

At least they're consistent, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds' "Kicking Against The Pricks" album in similarly censored in the iTunes store. That's really cr*ppy.

[Keetara]

Hey, maybe the next thing it will censor will be "blow" and "jobs"! Say, that would totally blank our Steve J**s' name now, wouldn't it?!!!

[Poindexter]

I say fuck S***e J**s and A***e.

[Benjamen]

Caseycook - that is a great example!
Matt, the Nick Cave album is especially funny in that next to P•••Ks you see the album cover with the word in all its glory!
Keetara: I know a "guy" who plans on filming a series of porn movies where everyone wears black turtlenecks
maybe ruining it for Steve.. we shall see

[Andy Luck]

Ben is that supposed to be you in that illustration aside the podcast listing? Did NB do that cartoon?

[BenjamenWalker]

NB original "interpretation" indeed

[Hornet Montana]

iTunes would need a massive overhaul to be MY "favorite piece of software in the world". Too dense and unimaginative in aesthetics, methinks.

[ruggggyfug]

From a technological standpoint, Apple's closed-system is the death of innovation and pioneering. There's already been a s**t-ton of hub-bub brewing about iPhone Apps and their severe and often cruel limitations (see just about any news aggregrator site). It's interesting to see that as Apple grows, it's beginning to turn more and more into the Microsoft/Intel monopolistics of the 90's.

[Jim]

I enjoyed reading this, but if iTunes is really your favorite piece of software, I just don't even know how to finish this fucking sentence.

[Steve W*z]

I've l*ng pegged Steve J*b* as a sociopath, which is the type I always expect to find now at the t*p of any human pyr*mid. I think his anti-p*rn st*nce is probably motivated by something other than a wish to enh*nce the pub*ic go*d.

[Bobo Hoho]

iTunes is a music player designed by the devil, an uninspired player from any usability standpoint (contrast with, say, good ol' Winamp), and sheer f** *s**a d****o m**ing s***l *pp*o* *a******h f*******$$* and so is Apple.

[Lena Potapova]

I stopped liking Apple two years ago when their OS wouldn't install without putting in personal info (which I despise) Now of course, I have to worry about my site name and my band name, fucking ooops ****ing awesome.

[krebstar01]

I don't own one of these devices ( i am a verrry late adopter in the whole marketing cycle).
And this post seals it for me. No i-portal to the internet, I like my dirt dirty, thank you very much.

[K.]

'cause it'll be in 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4

[Emile]

The iPhone and iPod Touch etc. are just fine because I can get WFMU through them. That's the only test of whether a technology works for me! Of course, other portables can do the same thing....

[iHate]

A few thoughts:

#1 - On your iphone, if you have spell check enabled - try typing "Bilbo Bagins" and look to see horrible filthy word *they* suggest.

#2 - Try running iTunes on a windows platform and pop in about 150,000 mp3 tracks. Get back to me when you can get the system to do anything else besides display an hourglass.