Today marks one of the darkest days in Australian censorship with the passing of the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill.  Ironically I'm at home sick and I just crawled out of bed to disconnect and turn the computer (the fan was getting a bit annoying) off when I read this bit of news.  Now I just want to crawl back into bed and not crawl out again - that or move to Holland.

There are far better reviews of the Bill itself elsewhere online (the EFA is a good place to start) and I certainly don't possess the legal knowledge to do it.  In brief, however, this Bill provides the Australian Federal Government the legal framework to block Australian access to foreign Internet sites deemed "illegal or offensive" and to have domestic sites removed entirely.  This is due to take effect from January 1st, 2000.  Though as others with more legal knowledge than I have already noted the poor phrasing of the Bill has resulted in a document which can not only be used to target "the intended" porn web sites, but numerous other non-live protocols as well, including e-mail and usenet.

Under the banner of "protecting Australian children" (presumably from the "paedophiles, drug pushers, hate mongers" and other subversives often found glorifying films like Reefer Madness) a new crusade has been launched against civil rights in this country, even as it may violate treaties to which Australia is a signature state, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, for example.  One wonders how long it will be before enterprising people use this legislation against those online whom they simply don't like or disagree with, rather than the pornography sites the politicians keep speaking about?  How long until a site like mine, just used to express my personal opinion, is deemed too potentially subversive of Australian children to remain online?

It's disgusting.
 

Wednesday May 26th, 1999

Copyright © Benjamin D. McGinnes, 1999

Copyright © Benjamin D. McGinnes, 1998-2001