Home/red-rock-eater/[RRE]Internet censorship bill in Australia

[RRE]Internet censorship bill in Australiawriting

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[RRE]Internet censorship bill in Australia

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Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 12:00:08 +1000 (EST) From: "Danny Yee"

[...]

On April 21st the Australian government tabled Internet censorship legislation, in the most sweeping attack in decades on the freedom of Australians to read and view what they choose.

Detailed information and analysis can be found at http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/99.html

A brief summary of some of the nastier points:- there are no protections for user privacy or freedom to read - and ISPs are indemnified against legal action by their users as a result of action under this Bill- in response to complaints, Internet content to be classified using Film and Video classifications (rather than the Publication classification scheme)- many books that can be sold without restriction in bookshops will be illegal/prohibited if placed online- non-violent erotica (X or NVE rated materials) to be "prohibited content", whether hosted within Australia or overseas- any content unsuitable for minors (R-rated) within Australia must be protected by adult verification systems or it will also be prohibited- ISPs forced to block prohibited content from overseas and take down prohibited content within Australia, within 24 hours of receiving a notice from the Australian Broadcasting Authority, on pain of $27000/day fines

Since only a fraction of adult overseas content can possibly be blocked under this scheme, it will have no practical effect towards its stated goal of protecting children. It is, in fact, directly aimed at controlling what adult Australians can read and view. It will also increase the costs of Internet access for everyone and cripple the Australian content hosting industry.

Please help stop this legislation. Some suggestions can be found at http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/alert99.html

The Senate Select Committee on Information Technologies is accepting submissions on the Bill, but the deadline is this Friday (April 30th)! http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/advert/online.htm (Individuals can make submissions and they can be of any length.)

The government plans to push the Bill though a senate committee on May 11th, with the intention of passing it into law before July 31st. So we don't have much time.

Danny. ```

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