Verizon has a long history of profiting from hardcore pornography.
Verizon has even defended teen, rape, incest, and racist-themed pornography as a benefit to their customers! Of course, we know that pornography is neurologically and psychologically harmful, and inextricably synonymous with sexual exploitation.
However, we do have encouraging news! After we met with Verizon’s CEO and conducted large-scale action campaigns over the last few years, Verizon has taken a step toward curbing its participation in sexual exploitation. They have created an opt-in system for new subscribers to FiOS IPTV services. New FiOS IPTV customers will no longer have on-demand pornography films and channels automatically piped into their homes. Instead, only those who actively seek out on-demand pornography will be exposed to it.
Does this step mark the beginning of Verizon’s journey towards becoming a sexploitation-free corporation? We are putting Verizon on the Dirty Dozen Watch List for 2017, as we evaluate what their next move will be.
The Dirty Dozen Watch List is a new addition to NCOSE’s Dirty Dozen campaign, and it serves dual purposes.
In some instances, the Dirty Dozen Watch List puts entities on notice that they may soon find themselves named as a major contributor to sexual exploitation unless they demonstrate significant and sustained efforts to address their role in fueling sexual exploitation.
In other cases, by placing an organization on the Watch List, NCOSE is affirming an entity’s positive step towards addressing its role in sexual exploitation. However, because some such steps represent only small progress in terms of the entity’s total contribution to sexual exploitation, or because we may have concerns about the entity’s intent to carry through with its pledge, placement on the Watch List also signals our lingering concerns about their commitment to ending sexual exploitation.
We hope Verizon will continue to make progress and move towards becoming a corporation that rejects profits from sexual exploitation.
