quote:The media bill, which is expected to come up for debate on Wednesday, would ban foreign journalists from the country and require local journalists to register with the government.
-cnn.com
Well now, isn’t this a scary thing?
Yes it is.
Anyhow, I just wanted to say that I heard of some scary things Australia was doing such as filtering internet content.
quote: In February 2000, EFA made application to the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) under the Freedom of Information Act for details of ABA decisions on complaints received about Internet content under the Broadcasting Services Act. The ABA has consistently refused to provide the information sought, claiming exemptions under various sections of the Act. In October 2000 EFA commenced proceedings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). The matter is now following the AAT's conference procedure and is expected to go to hearing around April/May 2001.
EFA believes that the ABA should be held accountable to the Australian public for its administration of the Act. The ABA's attitude of total secrecy about details of its decisions has no parallel in the administration of censorship policy of other media.
Australia's Internet censorship legislation - the first year
The Commonwealth Government's Internet Censorship legislation, introduced in June 1999 as an amendment to the Broadcasting Services Act, came into force on 1st January 2000. The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) implemented a Complaints System which enables Australian citizens to lodge complaints about Internet Content. A report on the first 6 months of the complaints regime was released in September 2000, with 93 instances of prohibited material being reported under the complaints regime.
The Government also established a supposedly independent body called NetAlert which has a $5 million budget and a brief to provide advice to the community about managing children's access to the Internet. However, this organisation maintained a low profile throughout the year 2000.
More here: http://www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/99.html
Only after I posted I realized that I should elaborate. I only made note of Australia’s evil doing because it is all similar. You know, limiting the information that the people of X country receive in whatever manner is befitting to who holds the power. Be it not allowing any international journalists or filtering the online information you receive. It’s all in the same terrifying basket, so to speak.
I am so very tired.
[ 26-01-2002: Message edited by: Abydoss ] |
