Big Porn Inc: Exposing the Harms of the Global Porn Industry

It has taken me a while to read this book and that's partly because, this edited collection of essays deals with the serious and diverse topic of the multiple effects pornography is having on everything from childhood, self-esteem, gender and sexual expectations and relationships to advertising and popular culture generally. With over forty erudite and well-researched pieces, as well as some heart-wrenching and deeply troubling personal testimonies on the impact of porn on people's lives, I want ...more

I had mixed expectations when I started to read this, and I finished reading it with *very* mixed feelings. Some of the articles are fantastically written, well argued and (although I did not, and will not, be bothered checking references) seemingly backed up in what they said by studies that have been done in the field. Many articles, however, were not.

Perhaps I have become to anal (haha, pun!) with wanting things to be backed up with quality research. I really (enjoyed is not the right word f ...more

Full Review at Booklikes.

Is all porn bad? Is porn in moderation okay? Or is porn bad and erotica good?

The essays in this book do not really address the above questions and simply deal with areas that many people would agree should be outlawed, such as child porn or the masquerading of legal adults as children in a porn movie. Also too many of the early essays refer Gail Dines’ excellent work (so go read her book), to be anything more than a rehash.
There are some good essays – the essays that ...more

This is a book that every adult needs to read. It is not written in that dense and, in my opinion, unreadable, academic style, but I think that this adds to its readability and does not alienate potential readers. In other words it is accessible for most adults and it contains relevant information concerning current [and alarming] trends relating to pornographic depictions. For example, even the average song is no longer safe from overt sexualisation in video format.

Each section within the book ...more

A disturbing read about the realities of the porn industry and how it negatively impacts our society and our relationships. Some essays were definitely distressing to read, especially those that address sex trafficking, child pornography, and animal abuse. The only thing I would have liked to see included was a sex-positive chapter to show that sex can be portrayed in healthy ways without harming the protagonists or those who consume it. That aside, I commend the editors for deconstructing such ...more

Feb 11, 2012

Susan

rated it it was amazing

I'm the publisher of this book. I was surprised by some of what I read in it even though I am aware of the subject matter. It is excruciating, but it is also hopeful because there is fantastic activism going on about this in many parts of the world. It's also about trying to understand what is happening in our own society and the contributors really grapple with that and do so from so many perspectives and they discuss so many areas. It's what I'd call a necessary read! ...more

A bunch of essays by names such as Catherine A. Mackinnon, Sheila Jeffreys, Gail Dines, Robert Jensen and others. For those familiar with their outlook, this book doesn't present much new things, but still the lingering consistency of moral opposition to pornography. The only argument that didn't hold up was the one against bestiality, especially by being held before the harm of women and girls in the Quit Porn Manifesto. Bestiality is an aberration by most people's standards but zoos are not co ...more

This book is a collection of essays and papers, written by a variety of writers from several countries laying out the argument that the porn industry is becoming increasingly violent, and influencing attitudes of people into believing women are secondary citizens. There are statics trying to tie increase of violent crimes against women to the violence in porn. Where it lost me was it's broad paintbrush of what is porn including art photography of artists such as Sally Mann and Bill Henson. The b ...more

ok so basically


it can be sensationalist at times -- the very first article by Gail Dines, "The New Lolita: Pornography and the Sexualization of Childhood," talks about 16 year old Miley Cyrus' 2009 Elle photoshoot by describing her, "sprawled across a table wearing S&M gear."
the picture in question:

idk about you but this photo doesn't scream 'sadomasochism' to me... they're just thigh high boots... am i wrong...?
and there were a few other times in the book where i was like... ok chill
but on t ...more

Jul 30, 2016

Kirsty

rated it really liked it

This was a very challenging and confronting book to read but well worth it. The anthology of essays on the harm that porn can do in mainstream culture is very well put together.

Most of the essays are excellently and powerfully written and backed up by data however I felt some of the essays were based on opinion, rather than fact and I felt a little like I was being preached to.

Overall, I think the message is clear: The way things stand, porn is harming our society and a lot of people want to do ...more

Jan 26, 2015

Judy

rated it really liked it

This was a very interesting collection of scholarly articles on pornography and its impact on our culture, specifically in our treatment of women and children.

while I agree with their analysis of the impact of porn on society I am not sure I can agree with their causation. Many of the essays correlated the violent trends in porn to capitalism. I am no scholar, but I'm pretty sure porn can be found in Communist and Socialist countries that frown on capitalism. ...more