On 07/10/2009, at 12:40 AM, Jay dedman wrote: > You dont know the US very well. Criticism stands on complete anger > that the government would regulate the web at all.
well, a lot of existing media law applies already, certainly outside of the US where free speech provisions are not as strong. But a lot of this stuff seems quite confused. For example quite a few years ago an Australian businessman (with international reputation/profile) successfully sued a US publisher over their online service for defamation in Australia. Existing media law handled it, a) the service was actually subscription based b) they did sell it in Australia even though it it originated in the States so c) it was deemed to be published here and they certainly had a company here d) they did defame the individual. > --Who's going to keep track? Who pays for this supervision? More > bureaucracy. Perhaps other bloggers? Who ensures the press reveals such conflicts of interest? > --Bloggers especially feel it's an attempt to limit their ability to > take on big power by entrapping them in legal limbo by silly lawsuits. > --it starts by regulating "disclosure". what will be next? It'll get > to the point where an individual person needs so much paperwork and > legal help to blog that only big companies can afford it...thus taking > away why the web has been cool. that is an argument that equates 'rules' and 'regulations' with not having to understand your obligations. try to get a gun licence in nearly any western democracy *except* the united states if you want to experience bureaucracy, but that is not a criticism of gun control, just that yes, there is a role for government in managing and overseeing and policing some things, and having a communications authority suggest that if you blog, and if you are being paid by a third party for your opinion but not revealing that, then there's a problem. Precisely because the web is a *publishing* environment. Any reputable paper will point out if a journo went on trip x as part of a junket, and clearly understands the difference between reportage, opinion and advertorial. I don't think bloggers, on the one hand, can call for the same rights and privileges as the press, but then not want to actually be held to reasonable ethical standards. > --The web is global territory. So if you (in England) dont disclose > something on your blog, will the FBI come after you? Will they then > get Scotland Yard to arrest you? no, US law does not apply in Britain, and vice versa. > > This a brief rundown of worries. cheers Adrian Miles [email protected] Program Director, Bachelor of Communication Honours vogmae.net.au
