UK Internet Clampdown Due

[Sac_mec (imported)]

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffa ... ss&feed=19

The above hyperlink (which I hope is active) directs you to the intention of the UK government to further clampdown on what UK internet users will be able to access. The original incident quoted as a reason for the change in the law was the murder of a young women in sexual circumstances prompted, allegedly by the murderer's vociferous appetite for violent sexual online imagery. Everyone condems such murder, naturally, but as various Civil libertarian groups, PC groups and campaigning groups such as Spanner are pointing out the new law could amount to it being illegal to "think" or to fantasise as an adult. Enter the age of the "thought police".

The story is at its earliest stages because if the Government wishes to act

it will need to wait for the next Parliament to sit in the Autumn. The most

worrying consequences surely are not the implementation of the wishes of

those seeking this law, but the possible "latitude" with which that law might be adopted; it could make it an offence to visit the EA because of certain violent stories and incidents. What are the views of other net users about this? (Edited due to typos)

[Slammr (imported)]

I think they're going down the same slippery slope that U.S. legislators are trying to go down. Broadly applied, these regulations could even apply to R rated movies, slash flicks (horror movies) for example, or any movie graphically depicting the killing of a woman. These kind of regulations are one reason I've decided not to renew my website.

[thefraj (imported)]

I was very worried when the turkeys in the House of Commons began seriously debating this topic.

There is this thread (http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthr ... ght=banned)which I started almost a year ago now, when I saw this all comming.

One interesting point that arose from the debate, is that stories can also be considered "pornography". And therefore most EA stories may well become illegal. Punishable by prison. But I'm not sure it that will happen or not.

[n3rf (imported)]

I am very concerned that what Your are observing is also going on in other areas and I think I read recently that one fellow got 11 year prison for having pictures of small people on his computer -- . The war on drugs where people were criminalized for weed possesion etc and overall the process of criminalizing sex in general - someone with many wifes for example, I dont know what can be done to turn that "tide" since "regular wars" don't exite the commoners any more and the search for other "exiting" domains are in the Process and the Judges are in on it I am sure. God sace us from IGNORANCE./JSm N3RF

[Quillman (imported)]

Yes it is very bad at the moment in the UK- we all knew it was coming as it follows on from so called child pornography, all steered by thought police and discredited experts still taken as fact. You can be arrested and sent to prison for having a couple of mail order catalogues and even worse an uncensored image of the crazy frog! It is no wonder that the UK is most guilty of Human Rights infringements, and the government (no capitals they don't deserve them) is paraniod about following the USA route tarred with the same brush.The law is in an absolute mess- we have gone down the road of not evidence but what some idiot thinks you might do. Extremely dangerous!

Quillman UK

[BudleyBare (imported)]

Yes it is very bad at the moment in the UK- we all knew it was coming as it follows on from so called child pornography, all steered by thought police and discredited experts still taken as fact. You can be arrested and sent to prison for having a couple of mail order catalogues and even worse an uncensored image of the crazy frog! It is no wonder that the UK is most guilty of Human Rights infringements, and the government (no capitals they don't deserve them) is paraniod about following the USA route tarred with the same brush.The law is in an absolute mess- we have gone down the road of not evidence but what some idiot thinks you might do. Extremely dangerous!

Quillman UK

You've gotten the closest to my synthesization of our current prosecutorial environment. By "our", I do not mean the entire world, but certainly the majority of it. Hate, greed, and religion make people do unacceptable (to my way of thinking) things. Governments and churches are the biggest offenders (subjective opinion here).

In one short sentence it is: criminalizing that which can be, rather than that which is. And that is a very sad state of affairs for all of humanity.

I can only change myself and be an example for others. Hopefully I have chosen the right path, but only time will tell. For now, I am comfortable with my choices.

[thefraj (imported)]

and even worse an uncensored image of the crazy frog! It is no wonder that the UK is most guilty of Human Rights infringements

Hehe, I think the 'Crazy Frog' WAS a human rights infringement.

They should make public playing of that song illegal :p

[Robby (imported)]

Wow, not many people on the Boards lately...

[Sac_mec (imported)]

Budley Bare your comments are spot on. I imagine the overwhelming majority of us, in some part at least, support this Bill if it saves lives and can be proven do to do so, because of photographic net imagery, real or "created". The murder of this young teacher was abhorrant and few people want to comment greatly;hence the silence Robby, I guess.

When the printing presses were first created and ordinary people had learnt to read it wasn't long before censorship and printing press destruction occured. Also, in Britain all overseas mails were read for fear of treachery to the state. These laws are still in place. The net on some levels is international but it still has to be "carried" via ISPs within states and the UK state has already passed regulatory laws on the subject and limits access to certain of its own sites abroad - such as some of the BBC's. Also internet traffic is read by the State in the same way as the mails of the Middle Ages except that

we have Listening Stations doing it now. It's simply a fact.

The Fraj, many thanks for hyperlinking to your thread of a year ago. Very interesting stuff. Many valuable points on this subject where made then. I did read in one of them that the European Court of Human Rights was linked to the EU; infact it is not. It is covered by different legislation dating back to the 1950s I believe,and Britain is a signatory. Although most cases covered by the Convention are won and nowadays won in Britain without the need to go to Strasbourg, not every case has been.

Like most sane people I support the principle of this law but it will need the most careful lawmakers and politicians in place to pass legislation that doesn't

go anywhere near fantasy fiction or the expression of free ideas between Eunuchs,(as just one example). If fantasy fiction here or at Google or elsewhere suddenly became illegal because the reader had "thought" to read it and had it on their hard discs, then suddenly we'd find the UK in the same

league as China with regards to "free thought". If sloppy law is passed, then

all British net users will be looking enviously at the Continent as a safer place

to live. I'm not sure whether common EU law would over-ride this; maybe I'm wrong:)

Since Labour came to power 10 years ago apparently about 3,700 new laws have been passed; a number are worrying in that previous rights and freedoms have been lost; many of these new laws have been accepted

because they've restored peace for the greatest number. CCTV is very

widespread in the UK and deeply opposed by many of our EU partners;

losses of freedoms have mixed benefits but the overall tendency in Britain today to 'forbid' so much is worrying. The Guardian article in the #1st post

indicated that when the Government asked for views last Autumn that the overwhelming majority of views expressed opposed yet more legislation and yet the Government intends to ignore that point. We've always valued our freedoms but as they get taken away in a piecemeal way, we'll find we've lost

a very great deal more. I'm sure this website gets visited by "the authorities and quietly even by MPS and MEPs". The intention behind this bill in safeguarding the number one human right of freedom from murderous attack is appreciated but there are flaws. If guarding life is as important as it ought to be, then we would outlaw cars/autos and force people to use better public transport. Hundreds of lives would be saved then.

But if new legislation prevents the expression and sharing of news and views

here to British citizens, or even the right to read a 'horny' story, if that happened we will all be losers because as adults we are private people who

are entitled to some sexual fantasies etc.. Legislators, please don't be

"turkeys" as expressed by the Fraj; please be prepared to stand up and ensure that any new law is well founded, safe and cannot be mis-used.

It will need courageous MPs to point out the flaws, but it could be cross-party. Reading is a simple freedom. Children read Superman but don't really believe he jumps into the sky or out of windows; if they did shouldn't we ban Superman and Batman and shutdown every cinema for the violence

they realistically exhibit in films. Reading Sexual fiction is just like reading Superman for adults, usually.

Written in hope and also written in the wish that our country is a safe

and peace loving state where citizens can expect respect and freedom.

(Corrected for typo's + added too)

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

I find prior censorship to be less desireable than that which it pretends to protect us from. I have always been proud that in my country anyone could say whatever they want no matter how absurd. However, they had better be prepared for the reactions of others to oppose them on the same level of freedom. As a war veteran I fought so that others could burn flags, call me a slimey bastard and vilify my political opinions. I will not be satisfied with anything less! Who the hell am I and who the hell are these people to tell anyone what is proper and what is unacceptable; for that is strictly a matter of their (or my) opinion. They have no magical insight. They do not speak for god (Allah, G'd, Yehwah, whatever) anymore than the Crazy Frog does. I'm completely fed up with egotists feeding us all with their flawed concept of reality. --FLO--