Protest against Internet Censorship in Australia

[squirmelia]

In Australia, the government want to introduce compulsory internet censorship. More details can be read here: Stop The Clean Feed and here: No Clean Feed.

Next Saturday, 13th December 2008, there will be protests across Australia against this. The Melbourne protest will be at midday, outside the State Library: Facebook Event.

[Poll #1312155]

Comments

[modulatorium.livejournal.com]

What is illegal? Publication or possession? Where is the law that states this? And if there is such a thing then how come this album cover has been allowed to exist for so long without a single prosecution?

[bjh21.livejournal.com]

Both. The relevant laws are section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978 (http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?ActiveTextDocId=1502060) (making and publishing) [note that the SLD version of this Act is somewhat out of date] and section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?ActiveTextDocId=2116852) (possession). As for why no prosecution has been brought (assuming none has), that's a question for the police or the CPS, but I'd suspect they have easier targets.

[modulatorium.livejournal.com]

The key word there is 'indecent'. I don't think many sane people would suggest that a simple nude photograph of a child is inherently indecent.

[aphephobia.livejournal.com]

sqirmelia: Did you see my post about the guy getting done for child porn because of some Simpsons stuff?

cyclotronic: I don't think many sane people would suggest that a simple nude photograph of a child is inherently indecent.

Erm, if it's in an art gallery in Australia, trust me, people go completely batshit about it. Then again, who said the majority of the population was sane? We did have John Howards for ten years...

[modulatorium.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I often forget to take into account the fact that there are large numbers of stupid and/or mad people out there. And that Simpsons thing was staggering and very alarming.