Stilgherrian has published a cracking letter sent to him by Child Wise’s Bernadette McMenamin. Whilst McMenamin’s drive to protect kids is one I fully support, she clearly shows from her communication with Stil that she is wiling to do it at any cost — even without knowing its potential to actually reduce child pornography.

Here’s part of her letter:

I am also a little perplexed about some of the feedback that I have been receiving about the uselessness of child pornography filtering. Now I am simply asking a question. If filtering of child pornography cannot work then why is there so much anger, fear and resentment to any attempt to block child pornography and other illegal sites? This is what I don’t understand.

Because we would prefer to spend the money somewhere that would actually help prevent kids becoming the victims of child abuse. That’s why Bernadette. You know, as opposed to wasting it on a filter that will NOT reduce the amount of child pornography available, or it’s production.

This is not a simple little procedure that will cost 30 bucks or even 30 grand. We are looking at an operation costing millions. And that’s just the setup costs.

I’m not the sort of guy who wants to waste money and pretend we are helping kids. I’m the sort of person who would prefer to REALLY HELP KIDS. You know by funding health services and the police. And I’m sure that’s what Bernadatte really wants to do as well.

I’ll say it once, and I’ll probably say it another 14,00 times by July: A filter will not reduce the amount of kids being exploited. It will not protect children.

You can read the letter here.