Obscenity
In determining whether sexual pictures are appropriate in our society, the word "obscene" has become a favorite among legislators. Factual pictures are OK, but obscene images are not. The problem is, nobody knows how define the word obscene, especially in relation to pornographic material. "I know it when I see it" is Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's definition, but feminist activist Gloria Steinham has a completely different one. The fact is, something may seem obscene to one person that is aesthetically acceptable to another.
So is there any objective way to determine if pornography is obscene or not? The most modern view is based on sexual criteria. If the work comes across as clearly offensive to the community as a whole, it may be considered obscene. However, a work may not be considered obscene if it has any artistic or literary value, maybe even political or scientific value. Finally, to be obscene the material as a whole must incite lustful interest in sex. These three guidelines are the ones used by the U.S. Supreme Court when it tries to determine whether or not something is obscene. But as we saw already, sometimes it is hard for even the Justices to follow these rules, as ever case is unique.