Surprising Profile -- is it legal?

[wivabef]

Okay, maybe I was all wrong about this person, but there is someone who's profile page features links to "hot photos" --

Innocent me, thinking "hot" as in cool, I clicked on the member's home page as linked and -- surprise, surprise, I am subject to a barrage of pop up windows and an index of "sexy" photos.

I don't know this person very well, just enjoyed some nice ratings from the member and read some absolutely decent, non sexy reviews of this same member.

My questions are:

Is it legal to have links to porno sites (it must be -- but everything on this person's profile page is a link)?
Could this member's page have been hacked into?
Should I e-mail said member, even though I know little of them, to tell them I suspect their page has been hacked into?

[nicholmere]

Originally posted by wivabef
....Is it legal to have links to porno sites (it must be -- but everything on this person's profile page is a link)?..

I once came across a profile page with several links to porno sites. I sent an e-mail to abuse to ask if the links were considered abusive/illegal content. I was told:

"Thank you for your report about the content you find offensive.
Generally, Epinions believes that its community--not Epinions--should make editorial decisions about offensive content. As a result, Epinions has developed a set of tools that allows you to manage the content you see on the Epinions site and thereby reduce the likelihood that you will encounter content you find offensive. "

They also said, "Epinions does take further steps when breaches of the User Agreement are reported to us. If you believe the content you are reporting violates the Epinions User Agreement, please provide us as many details as you can about this so that we may investigate further."

[jo.com]

I thought pornographic material was against TOS. If it were on the profile page it would be. Maybe since it is a link it isn't??

Not really, Jo. I have found a number of pages with rather explicit profile pictures. When I've asked about whether they violate the TOS, I was told that it doesn't, use my filters, yada, yada, yada.

[erik_kosberg]

In cases where Epinions doesn’t care what you’re doing (promoting racism, porn, homophobia, yadda yadda yadda), Epinions is a platform.

In cases where Epinions does care what you’re doing (posting your own copyrighted material elsewhere), Epinions is a publisher.

How convenient.

[suzer]

I don't use my filters because I want to be able to read/rate VH, H, SH, NH, and as I am expected to do so as an editor. Thanks to the epinion's member who thoughtfully submits a NH review almost every day so I can meet my quota. It is a pleasure to bury your offensive, insulting, and wasted reviews!

Seriously, I don't think we should have to be exposed to that when innocently meandering over to someone's profile. Or maybe I am a prude (no one who knows me has ever suggested that, heh, heh).

I do think pop-up windows and site meters are against TOS. Right?