Hi Simon, Yes, I've read about this. Even though there is a large amount of protest against this kind of action - I do fear that the authorities in control, tend to get away with a lot in regard to commercial (or their own agenda) needs. I'm sure that this doubt is not unusual of course. I am hoping there is enough energy and mass-protest, interest around to battle this one out.
"Both the Opposition and the Greens this week officially announced their opposition to the internet filtering plan, which critics like GetUp fear will slow the internet to a crawl and open the door to censorship of other material such as regular pornography, political views, pro-abortion sites and online gambling." THe typical approach by such top-down bods, is to cull everything that is not officially deemed 'correct' or of commercial use, this creating a sterile environment that limits imaginations and emerging independent thought & the communities that work with them. The other issue with this, is that if this kind of draconian function succeeds, it then threatens other groups like ourseleves, and many will just hop into the more 'creative' industry led & more well-known, accepted broadcasting facilties - in contrast of being part of and building, sharing their own communties on their own terms. marc Note that the new Australian government is making very serious attempts to regulate the internet. It is proposing a filtering system for all web traffic. This is expected to slow speeds by around 75% whilst catching a small percentage of the sort of material they are seeking to stop (porn, agitprop). Such material is usually beeating low the radar of filters and often doesn¹t use the http protocol (which is the only one that will be filtered). Rudd is no Berlusconi, but clearly he is working on it. With the current Chinese leadership in hot water (melamine and the crunch) we could propose them as their new leaders. As you can see, plenty of Australians are seeking to stop it. http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/activists-target-rudds-net-censorsh ip-plans/2008/11/27/1227491695981.html Regards Simon On 5/12/08 15:09, "marc garrett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Berlusconi plans to use G8 presidency to 'regulate the internet'. > > > > The President of Italy, which will have the Presidency of the G8 > > starting January 1, says he wants to use the future position of Italy to > > 'Regulate the Internet.' Italy's President Berlusconi appears to be a > > cantankerous character, prompting riots when Italy last had the G8 > > presidency in 2001. This will no doubt be a serious effort, but knowing > > the fundamental design of the Internet involves routing around damage, > > the efforts could be more amusing than threatening. Berlusconi is > > Italy's Prime Minister, not its President. He is Italy's G8 > > representative, and Italy will hold the presidency in 2009. Originally > > found on Slashdot.org > > > > more... > > http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/03/berlusconi_g8_internet/ > > _______________________________________________ > > NetBehaviour mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour Simon Biggs Research Professor edinburgh college of art [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.eca.ac.uk www.eca.ac.uk/circle/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.littlepig.org.uk AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201 _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour _______________________________________________ NetBehaviour mailing list [email protected] http://www.netbehaviour.org/mailman/listinfo/netbehaviour
