Porn is exploding in the Middle East, so much so that Egypt is considering extreme measures to reduce access to x-rated websites.

Why Egypt? Because it boasts the highest number of online-porn-viewership in the world.

Some believe that this “unacceptable habit” has contributed to the increased number of rapes, sexual assaults and premarital sex in Egyptian society.

While there is no way of preventing Egyptians from accessing adult sites, imposing strict online measures might do the trick.

Ahmed Refaat, the head of Parliament’s Communications and Information Technology Committee, suggested that those wishing to view online porn should only be able to by providing their national security number (NSN) prior to entering that website.

This cautionary step will not only potentially reduce the number of people going online to look at porn, but it will also prevent underage kids from accessing the 18+ sites.

Refaat added that some Europeans governments are thinking of applying the same method in their countries, in particular to protect their underage population.

Anticlimax

While Refaat’s plan looks good on paper, communications expert Mohammad Quraish said that applying the NSN method is not as easy as it sounds.

Quraish explained that with today’s advanced technology, it’s easy for anyone to decode a website and access it without having to provide any details, including their NSN.

In addition, using one’s NSN to access those sites will not combat the underage problem, because in Egypt, you can get your National ID at 16-years-old.

Wouldn’t it be much easier for the Egyptian government to block all porn sites? It would, except it would go against citizens’ freedom of choice.

Shadi Talaat, head of the Lawyers Union For Democratic and Legal Studies, said that the West deals with this problem in the most ideal manner, because they allow citizens the freedom to watch porn, but they do it by letting them buy it from designated sex shops instead.