Bezeq Israel Telecom, the country’s dominant phone company, has launched a service that would block calls to porn and other “improper” destinations in a bid to attract ultra-Orthodox customers.

Avi Gabbay, Bezeq’s chief executive officer, said at a news conference the company had invested $500,000 on the new “Kosher phone line” service, which initially will be free and has been approved by Israel’s leading rabbis.

He noted that although the main market will be the ultra-Orthodox — who typically live in their own communities and refrain from many secular activities — the service will be open to all.

“Obviously our main customer is the ultra-Orthodox but a lot of parents don’t want their children to be exposed to these kinds of numbers,” said Itamar Harel, vice president of Bezeq’s residential customers division.

I wonder if narrow-minded theology produces the need for such a “service” – or if the narrow-minded are just being opportunistic about offering the service, figuring theology makes a market?




  1. green says:

    Using religion and sex to drive traffic. Haven’t seen that before :/

  2. the answer says:

    But if they are ultra orthodox, why do they need blockage to sites they don’t go to?

  3. steelcobra says:

    It’s not like the iPhone can surf to the youtube clones that serve porn anyways without a normal Flash interface.

  4. Can't Drive 55 says:

    Funny how the more pious a sect is, the tighter the controls have to be. Whatever happened to personal restraint and responsibility?

    Some things will NEVER change.

  5. Buddy Pataha says:

    I don’t know why anybody would care if people of any religious persuasion would make a decision, for themselves alone, to subscribe to a service like this.

    There is a point in the “if you don’t use those services, why would you need to be protected from them?” but, I know people who voluntarily subscribe to porn-blocking/filtering services to keep naturally curious children (read “boys”) from having easy access to that stuff.

    I think you guys might be having a knee-jerk reaction by automatically jumping to the implications of hypocrisy, narrow-mindedness, and “theocracy.” Cannot people choose to avoid anything they find unnacceptable?

  6. I wonder if narrow-minded theology produces the need for such a “service” – or if the narrow-minded are just being opportunistic about offering the service, figuring theology makes a market?

    It’s kind of hard to say in this case. Some people are more obvious about taking advantage of the religious.

    Consider these guys:

    http://www.jesuspets.com/Home.aspx

    Still though, one must ask after reading such a site, how could anyone who truly believes in the rapture not care enough about their pets to spend the money on the service?

    Similarly, with this phone service, even if one were to believe they were just out for a quick buck, if one is religious, shouldn’t they still pay the money for the service?

    It’s great when atheists can take advantage of people’s legitimate faith in such ways. All parties benefit, or at least both parties in the deal believe they’re benefiting.

  7. Don Coyote says:

    Just checked my Rogers cell agreement and, sure enough, I have a Kosher-free porn service.

  8. Angel H. Wong says:

    Only the wives will approve that cell phone.

  9. morram says:

    they’ve tried this with christians but the subscribers still found ways around to get at the kiddy porn sites

  10. manslady49 says:

    i am not gay=0

  11. Avery says:

    You have to try 3single (dot) com. There you can talk to amateur grils who look like your neighbor. Have fun 🙂


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