When India Today first wrote about pornography in December 1978, it was a very different age. Sex was a taboo subject and the existence of an Indian pornography industry was a truth that no one wanted to face. Our attitudes to sex may still be conservative but the yardstick for what is acceptable, for example in entertainment, is light years away from the time when a Bollywood kiss and not so subtle pelvic thrusts were unheard of and mostly unseen.

PICTURE SPEAK

Our Dec 15, 1978 cover

Pornography, now all over the Internet, can no longer be shied away from. It is the most profitable arm of all e-business generating $8-11 billion (Rs 36,000-49,500 crore) in annual revenue. In countries where sexual freedom is limited, the Internet is a perfect shop window for those looking for pornography. It is no surprise then that an Indian "market" would be sought after and tapped into.

The past five years have seen a growth in pornographic websites with India-centric content. The reasons for this surge are several. The industry not only fulfilled an Indian demand but it was growing at a time when India was becoming trendy in western pop culture. The "desiporn" websites specifically use the cultural context of India and Indian women to generate revenues. They could offer smutty videos claiming to be shot in India, featuring "real" Indians, or could focus on established porn stars who flaunt their Indian origins. This is globalisation of a kind we may not have anticipated or welcomed, but the Indian cyberporn industry cannot be ignored any longer.

Our cover story this week takes a closer look at the industry, which runs unchecked and unmonitored. Since there are no rules on the information superhighway, it has learnt how to slip through the legal loopholes in laws pertaining to cyber crime. The definition of what constitutes pornography or an offence relating to pornography is ambiguous in India. Most of these sites are based overseas, thus rendering their webmasters immune from Indian law. Our cover story was put together by Assistant Editor Kanika Gahlaut with inputs from correspondents in Chennai, Mumbai and New York. Gahlaut says, "On these websites, there is an unmistakable sexual send-up of the coyness and conservatism that are the supposed virtues of the traditional Indian woman."

Pornography is a strange beast that thrives on repression. The advent of infotech and the Net has led to a worldwide dilemma on monitoring this flood of pornographic material that is accessible to all age groups. While the industry cannot be wiped out entirely, India's challenge is to keep tabs on it and maintain a firm grip on its abuse.

(Aroon Purie)

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