Conroy confesses: web filtering will hit 'other content'
The Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) currently prohibits both Refused Classification material and X 18+ material, meaning content depicting actual sex is treated in a manner similar to criminal content such as child pornography.
The BSA also bans R 18+ material (including simulated sex) if there is no age-based restriction.
This clumsy regime means material that is available in your average newsagent, let alone the local adult shop, is banned online and will technically be blocked under the ALP censorship trial.
The ban also perpetuates the Ruddock-era ban on alleged terrorist books imposed by the Howard Government as part of its national security-based attack on civil liberties. Academics using the internet to research terrorism-related materials may be blocked if filtering is imposed.
Nick Minchin, grilled the Australian Communications and Media Authority about the banning of an anti-abortion website. Despite his conservative credentials, Minchin correctly noted that a lot of Christian groups backing internet censorship might not be so enamoured of the idea if it was used to block their views on abortion.
Crikey!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment