Australian Gov't threatening U.S. Website owner

[Zep]

Whatever. If you take the writing style of anyone on ED without a grain of salt, you are missing a lot of humor. Be that as it may, as the up to date list of blocked sites is not easily available, I cannot confirm them being on the list. I am looking at the list as of 2009...so it is a little old. But I do not find it it difficult to believe. This is just one website...one that has been contacted directly by the Australian Government. But the overall issue is governments blocking websites, and keeping the lists of sites blocked secret. That should be a concern to anyone.
You do agree that there is a ACMA, correct? Or is that make believe as well?

They have received a letter from a statutory authority in Australia, not from "the Australian government". There's a clear difference. We have plenty of statutory authorities here. Silly example by way of explanation, this authority could, theoretically, issue similar notices on the government itself if they committed similar actions.

It is like me receiving a defective vehicle letter from the police department in New York. New York's finest are not "The US Government".

And I've already said I fully agree the idea of blacklisting websites on the internet is quite ridiculous for many reasons.

 

[icerat]

This is an interesting issue. The website pretty clearly does violate Australian hate speech law. As a non-American not obsessed with the "free speech!" mantra I think the law itself is fine. Clearly though, Australian law does not normally apply to non-Australians outside of Australia. Gutnick was a little different in that the publishers were actively accepting subscriber fees from Australia, so could be considered to be actively publishing in Australia.

In this case the complainants against the site could sue against ED in Australia, but it's little more than a moral victory unless ED's corporate (or otherwise) agents visited Australia.

In many ways though sites like ED almost offer a case for national censorship lists. The site breaks the law, it's available in Australia. If it was a child porn site, located somewhere where it wasn't illegal, then should governments simply ignore it?

Interestingly, ED takes a bit of a "one world government" CT position on this issue, but really being allowed to "publish" to citizens of a country in violation of their laws is more "one world" than allowing countries to enforce their own laws.

Perhaps publishers need to simply accept the risks, or actively attempt to block access to countries where they are violating the law, or we simply accept that countries have the right to block access to materials that break their laws.

 

[ServiceSoon]

In this situation who do you charge? The person who makes the information available in Australia? This could be the publisher or host...

The party in Australia who seeks/accepts the information?

Thanks Zircon. I thought it was pretty obvious. I guess I was wrong, seeing as my post generated two outraged responses and one PM asking me where in Australia I was. Next time, I'll be sure to make my satire more satiric.

I see it now

While I realised (suspected) the joke, it is also a sad indictment that there are many that see the politics as either black or white: Labour good, Liberal bad. Or Vica versa. Rudd good, Abbot Bad. etc. Given same, I can easily understand how some could have missed the gag.

Thanks for the support. I was just in a hurry... There should be a satire smiley, at least.

My wife is getting an expat job in Brisbane, and we'll be over soon. When does the brainwashing begin?

Do they have a pamphlet I can start reading now?

I got this one right away.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

I've been thinking about the "slippery slope" theory and, in this situation there seems to be some justification for some concerns around same. For me it relates directly to a reportedly 'control freak' of a PM who is obsessed with spin over substance.

At any rate I was wondering if - in recent history - there have been some good examples of when this has occurred: the original intent, the event and the 'unintended' outcomes.

 

[Eudaemonic Plague]

Think of it in reverse: Would US citizens be impressed by an Australian company trying to impose THEIR web content on them if they had chosen they did not want it? I suspect there would be a rather loud backlash, n'cest pas?

OK, so I suggest we try to keep some perspective on this discussion.

Erm....speaking of perspective, no one is imposing web content on Australia, nor could they. Now, Australians imposing censorship upon their own people, that deserves a backlash.

 

[WildCat]

My wife is getting an expat job in Brisbane, and we'll be over soon. When does the brainwashing begin?

Do they have a pamphlet I can start reading now?

90% of the immigration test is being able to drink 12 beers in 3 hours without throwing up on the Queen.

Or so I've heard.

 

[TheDaver]

First Sea Shepherd, then banning small breasts from porn, then forcing all the gore out of the zombie game Left 4 Dead and now this.

I’m sorry, but what the @#$% are you guys smoking down there?!

 

[Hallo Alfie]

First Sea Shepherd, then banning small breasts from porn, then forcing all the gore out of the zombie game Left 4 Dead and now this.

I’m sorry, but what the @#$% are you guys smoking down there?!

Dunno, but the Icelanders are on simialr gear

http://www.theage.com.au/world/iceland-outlaws-strip-shows-20100326-r33n.html

 

[GreNME]

Here is a copy of the letter received by ED which was included in my link:
http://www.blog.encyclopediadramatica.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/au-human-rights-comm-pg1.jpg

Good Lawdy up in Hebben that's a laugh. That letter coming from a country where selling Golliwog dolls is just fine happens to be the epitome of hubris.

Irony, thy name is Australia.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

What's wrong with golliwogs?

 

[Brian-M]

What's wrong with golliwogs?

In some countries they're regarded as racist.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

I know that.
But Grenme was inferring that because golliwogs are a 'racist' in his country the same rules should apply here (btw golliwogs aren't ok here these days).
I'm not sure what his problem with Australia actually is - and I don't wish to get further of topic than we already are - but perhaps the brave fellow could explain himself in theAustralia thread. We would love to hear more from him.

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139813

 

[Zep]

Good Lawdy up in Hebben that's a laugh. That letter coming from a country where selling Golliwog dolls is just fine happens to be the epitome of hubris.

Irony, thy name is Australia.

I have a $50 parking ticket from Boston from when I overstayed the allotted time by 5 minutes.

Good Lawdy up in Hebben that's a laugh. That coming from a country where burning flags is permitted, this happens to be the epitome of hubris.

Irony, thy name is USA.

 

[WildCat]

First Sea Shepherd, then banning small breasts from porn, then forcing all the gore out of the zombie game Left 4 Dead and now this.

I’m sorry, but what the @#$% are you guys smoking down there?!

Dunno, but the Icelanders are on simialr gear

http://www.theage.com.au/world/iceland-outlaws-strip-shows-20100326-r33n.html

Hmmm, what do vegemite and rotting shark have in common? Besides smell I mean.

 

[Hallo Alfie]

Both good sources of vitamins, low in fat and put a rose in every cheek.

 

[Damien Evans]

Hmmm, what do vegemite and rotting shark have in common? Besides smell I mean.

Both taste horrid?

 

[dudalb]

Sadly, what they used to refer to with contempt as "Sticky Beaking" has become a way of life in Australia. SOme bureaucrats there have a "Big Brother knows what is best for you" mentality.

 

[Damien Evans]

Sadly, what they used to refer to with contempt as "Sticky Beaking" has become a way of life in Australia. SOme bureaucrats there have a "Big Brother knows what is best for you" mentality.

Your first sentence is so wrong I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Your second sentence is so right I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[Brian-M]

Laugh. Then cry.

 

[CORed]

Where I come from, and I believe where you come from, our computers have filters that can be setup by parents, whose responsibility it is ultimately.

I think putting internet filters on computers used by children is a great idea. They will learn do much about computers by figuring out how to circumvent them.