Gay Today: World

Internet Censorship Bill to Take Effect

By Rex Wockner
International News Report

Protestors speak out against Australia's Internet censorship measure, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2000

A ban on R- and X-rated content on the Internet takes effect in Australia January 1.

The Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Bill was passed by Parliament June 30.

Internet service providers (ISPs) will be required to stop prohibited material at the border or face fines of $27,500 per day.

The International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) fears that gay content -- sexual or otherwise -- will fall victim to crude blocking software that ISPs likely will utilize in a futile effort to follow the law.

Stopping entire classes of Internet traffic is, of course, beyond the ability of even the most dedicated of censors.

The law defines R-rated material as that which "deals with issues or contains depictions which require an adult perspective [or which] may be offensive to some sections of the adult community." X-rated material is that which would offend a reasonable adult or instruct someone to commit a crime.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
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Software Used for Library Censorship Brings Suit

Related Sites:
International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission

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"This legislation invites private agencies to suppress the expression of [cultural] identities with a new system of social control predicated on a dictionary-based witch hunt: a frantic hunt for offensive nouns, indifferent to the semantic richness, social complexities, and living communities and context those words may represent," said IGLHRC.

"In sum, the legislation abandons democratic process to the whims, prejudices, and profit-making needs of corporations."

For information on where to send letters of complaint, contact: iglhrc@iglhrc.org or visit www.iglhrc.org.